The Chosen Ones
by JonHarper
Summary: A new breed of warrior will be reborn from the legends of old, as a man with the weight of worlds on his shoulder battles for redemption and another will begin his journey. Once again Sunnydale will become the epicenter of Good against Evil.
1. Prologue: The Fall of Vader

**The Death Star, Orbit of Endor Moon**

Panic.

It was a powerful emotion radiating from all around him, coming off everyone in rolling waves of energy. From the nearby hangar to the corridors on this level and beyond, throughout the entire Death Star itself, panic was in the air and a figure, cloaked in black, who was more half machine than man had a pretty strong suspicion as to why. He'd felt a disturbance in the Force followed by a deep rumbling within the very bowels of the Death Star itself - whatever it was it had the Imperial troops scrambling in mayhem rather than acting in the calm and professional manner in which they had been relentlessly trained. It seems the Rebellion just might have pulled off the crippling blow to the Empire after all. Good for them; but it did nothing to change his current situation.

He barely had the strength to breathe much less move. Each labored breath required more and more effort than the previous one yet**,** still, he clutched onto that one spark of life left within himas he was half carried and half dragged along the sterile grey corridors of the Death Star.

Reaching the ramp of his personal shuttle, the former Sith lord known as Darth Vader knew he could go no further. Like the Death Star itself his time was growing short.

"Luke… help me take… this _mask_ off." The deep voice reverberated through the mouthpiece. A deep and haunting voice that had once filled so many enemies with terror, that now _only_ filled his son with a sense of dread and anguish.

"But you'll die," Luke responded, desperate to keep his father alive a little longer. He was afraid, afraid to lose his father only after saving him from the Dark Side and bringing him back to the light, and it shone clearly on his face.

Anakin couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu wash over him; the brief glimmer of a memory long forgotten, that now flared as blinding as the sun; that of him holding his mother much the same way as this before she died. Only That brief remembrance helped him to rally his strength to say what needed to be said.

"Nothing… can stop that now," the man formerly known as Vader said, feeling the last of strength beginning to ebb away quickly. He knew his time was growing short and he had so much he wanted to say. "Just for once let me… look on you with my _own_ eyes."

Luke nodded, not trusting himself to speak, but focused on removing the mask that had been the trademark of the Sith Lord, a mask that inspired fear and loathing from a galaxy oppressed by the terrible power of the Empire. With the mask removed both father and son could finally look upon each other with nothing to impede them. So much passed between them without a word spoken, so much regret, so much pain, so much time lost that would never be recovered.

"Now..." He struggled for breath, "Go...my son. Leave me!" The man who was once again Anakin Skywalker pleaded, feeling the great Battle Station under him approach its final destiny as he approached his.

"No, I'll not leave you here, you're coming with me, I've got to save you!" Luke replied passionately. He would not lose his father, not like this.

"You already have, Luke," Anakin pointed out weakly with a pained smile for his Son. "You were right about me!" Anakin gasped, feeling the last of strength leaving him, "Tell your sister you were _right_."

With his strength spent and his spirit fading, Anakin closed his eyes for the last time as his broken body slumped back against the ramp of his personal shuttle. In his mind's eye he held onto the face of his son for as long as he could until he felt the will of the Force gently pulling him away....and there was nothing more, only peace.

*******

Time, and fate, the immovable certainties of life, rippled. Rippled, torn, shifted, and shattered, as unnatural forces sought and caught hold of four lives. Each was at the end of their thread of life, their mortal purpose done, their legacy left upon those who followed, for good or evil. Their mortal lives were over, their souls remained. Souls, the third constant of all life. Souls can never be destroyed, even after death. They can be torn, shattered, even consumed, but never truly destroyed. Beyond even mortal death, a soul exists: some remain in the world, some pass beyond, into peace, or simply black nothingness. Four were taken, one from peace, one from purgatory, one from blackness, one from the mortal world.

Across the void between, beyond the howling, three sat together as one. Before them, in bonds of chalk and blood, runes glowed, and upon their hands glowed lights like the flickering of a candle. No human light was in their eyes, as each thrust their hands into fire, their cries of pain lost amongst the chanting of their voices. Their purpose was dark, their will set, as they tore at the fabric of the universe, ripping and violating, to drop the four into a new world like pebbles in a frozen pond. One at a time at different points in time.

A dish would be served, in pain and blood and delicious fear. Blood was blood, and the dark circlet would be torn, once the warriors who had passed were summoned. Power they had, dark were their deeds, their threads were tattered, sullied, with pain, and death, and the mortal lives of innocents.

Like pebbles they dropped, one by one, and beneath the cracked ice of the mortal world, fate would ripple and twist at their coming.

Yet the three knew not their peril, nor would have cared had it been shown, for hate was their drive and fear their guide. They cared not who suffered, for they were not builders. Some build, others steal, and others, through fear or misguided intent, destroy that which others have made. Thus the three understood not what they released nor truly cared; for destruction and revenge were their goals, not understanding.

Perhaps some power intervened, bound by some law to maintain the level of the eternal scales of good or evil, or perhaps not. But of the four pebbles, that of light, the soul at peace, was dropped into the pond _first_.

And so they who had never considered redemption or balance brought forth not just evil, not just blackness, but _light_…and shades of grey**.**


	2. Chapter 1 Welcome to Sunnyhell

**Chapter 1: Welcome to Sunnyhell.**

With a gasp of shock his dazed eyes popped open in alarm as he took in his surroundings with a quick glance; he was lying on his back on what felt like soft earth staring up into a night sky.

_Huh?_

Suddenly feeling the burning of his lungs Anakin coughed and gasped for breath as he rolled to his left side, his lungs filling with oxygen for what seemed like the first time as he absently noted the lack of the respirator. Breathing deeply to calm his racing heart Anakin tried to push himself to a sitting position only to fail miserably as his head bounced off the soft earth, eliciting a pained moan. Squinting his eyes as he took another deep breath, Anakin rubbed a hand across his face and froze. It was the first shock to pierce the diminishing fog that had been clouding his mind. _His hand!_ Opening his eyes wide with astonishment, Anakin was astounded to see the soft flesh of both of his hands as he studied them intently. It was then that he realized he was no longer in the body suite that had become a defining aspect of his life and persona as the Sith Lord. Forcing himself into a seated position, Anakin rubbed his fatigued face again only to feel something he hadn't felt in years, _his own hair!_

_How was this possible!?_ Anakin wondered with both joy and alarm.

_How did this happen to me_? He thought in wonder, as he probed his head with his hands and not finding the telltale scars from the battle of Mustafar. It was amazing, it was impossible, but somehow it seemed his body had been fully restored. How, he didn't know, although he had been studying to use the energies of the Dark Side to rejuvenate his body, something he had been increasingly sure was possible. Before he realized what was happening, before he could exert any control, his vision suddenly became blurry with tears and a soft whimper escaped his lips which fully degenerated into full blown sobs of pure transcendent Joy. For so long he had been trapped in his prison with no hope of true escape, the symbolic mask of the Sith that helped sustain his physical body had served another purpose; a mask to hide the pain and despair that had consumed his heart and his spirit, leaving nothing but darkness. But now, as the tears flowed freely and unashamed down his cheeks he truly felt something other than anger, hatred, and despair and its beauty could not, _would not_ be denied. For just this once, he did not care who saw him this way or what they thought; he just knew that he was whole again!

There was no telling how long he had stayed there, near crazy with Joy but eventually he managed to settle down enough for rational thought. Pushing aside his amazement for the moment Anakin took a long calculating look around him; absorbing every detail he could as his mind took stock of his situation.

He was on a planet and not the Death Star which indicated some time must have passed since he died...._or had he merely lost consciousness_? No...he died; he was sure of that much. Death was unmistakable; he had extinguished enough lives to know it intimately. Looking around there was absolutely nothing to hint at how he had arrived here fully restored.

_So what was this place?_

Mentally pushing aside that thought Anakin continued his assessment of the situation in the here and now. Gravity was normal, atmosphere was breathable and it seemed this world was inhabited, but nothing around him seemed familiar. Wherever he was, he was apparently on a planet that still buried their deceased as indicated by the many gravestones and mausoleums around him. _Odd_, Anakin frowned. While the practice of burying one's dead wasn't so uncommon as to be unheard of, it was only practiced on a few worlds within the Empire that still held onto long held traditions and beliefs concerning the dead.

_The outer rim perhaps_?

Anakin furrowed his eyebrows in consideration trying to recount the number of worlds that still practiced this archaic tradition, but found he couldn't remember, it wasn't exactly a subject that had garnered much interest with him. Gingerly he rose to his feet on wobbly legs grasping a nearby headstone for support as he fought a sudden wave of dizziness. After a few moments the wave of dizziness passed and he felt some of his strength return. Inspecting his body, Anakin was amazed to see that he was wearing what appeared to be a Jedi starfighter uniform, such as he hadn't worn or set eyes on in decades. In shock, he ran his hands over the fabric, trying hard to control the wild surge of emotion that rose up inside him. As his fingers of his right hand traced the symbol of the republic embroidered on his left shoulder, he could not help but clench his eyes shut in momentary anguish. The last time he had worn such a uniform was on Mustafar, before his fall. Breathing deeply, Anakin took a few moments to calm his emotions and focus his mind before resuming the task at hand. After a quick inspection he was unsurprised to find nothing else in his possession with the exception of his utility belt. But no Lightsaber for defense.

Which meant until he could arm himself he was alone, unarmed and vulnerable. _Just great_.

He still didn't know where he was so he focused his attention on the night sky, hoping to identify familiar star constellations to get his bearings. What he saw nearly sapped his remaining strength. He didn't recognize a single star pattern! Naturally, having been a spacer for most of his life, Anakin knew that star patterns changed configuration depending on which planet you viewed them from. Yet having traveled most of his life in space, the stars were as familiar to him as the Force itself. But these star patterns were not familiar in any way. Feeling a wave of fear grip him, Anakin brutally suppressed it. He knew this was not a time to give into old habits. Instead he slowly lowered himself into the classic Jedi meditation position so he could reach out to the Force. That proved to be another shock to him. The Force felt different somehow...as if....it felt older, but no less strong; as if a great deal of time had passed and he was someplace altogether different, but still connected. Some place far, far away, and Anakin had a growing suspicion it was probably farther than any Jedi or Sith had ever been just by these two facts alone.

And there was something else; something he was just beginning to sense, something Anakin had never witnessed before...as if some dark energy was intermixed with the Force in some unholy and vile way; like dark waves of energy pulsing outward from within the pristine intricate web that was the Force. It reeked of the Dark Side and yet it...wasn't at the same time. Anakin instinctively pulled away from it, felthimself _repelled _by its malignant stain. It was unsettling to say the least, but Anakin focused on the Light side of the Force and stayed there as he slowly cleared his mind of all fear and doubt. Now, much calmer, he stood up on much sturdier legs and looked up at the night sky to note that the position of this world's only visible orbiting satellite had shifted, indicating a considerable amount of time had passed.

"Where am I?" Anakin spoke aloud for the first time as he once more took a long look around the cemetery.

Well, wherever he was, he had to move, his feelings told him that much. So picking a direction he moved off with a slow and cautious pace. As he moved he began to formulate his course of action for the foreseeable future. The first thing to do was to find a ship and get back to Imperial or Rebel controlled space and link up with his son. Clearly the Rebellion had been victorious at the Endor moon, a move that would have no doubt struck a crippling blow to the Empire now that its greatest weapon was destroyed and the Emperor dead. But what would he do when he got there? Somehow he doubted the Rebellion would accept him so willingly. After all he was Darth Vader, the scourge of the Jedi and the one man who carried out countless atrocities under the Emperor's orders. Finding his mouth suddenly dry, Anakin swallowed painfully as he fought to maintain his balance with his emotions, but such a thing was difficult when considering the enormity of his crimes and the shame and guilt that came with it. So what to do_?_ If necessary he would face the justice he knew he deserved. It was a surprisingly easy decision to come to. He'd help the Rebellion in any way he could before surrendering himself to their mercy, which he highly doubted he would get.

Fair enough. Although it wasn't fair, was it? He had murdered untold millions, billions even. How could he move past that? What punishment could be fitting for the numerous atrocities he had committed? How could there every truly be justice for his crimes?

Nothing. There was no possible way he could ever _truly_ get past it. His past deeds would always hang over him like a specter, tainting his every action, even his very soul.

But at least it was a plan, not one he liked, but it was a plan nonetheless. Picking up his pace ever so slightly, Anakin took another look at the graveyard and frowned. Something just didn't feel right with this place. Again Anakin could feel the dark energy that was somehow bound to the Force but he had never encountered anything like it**…**and yet, had he still been in the thrall of the Dark Side, Anakin had a feeling that he would have found it the sensation _invigorating_.

Approaching another small clump of trees in the cemetery, of which there seemed to be a little _too _many positioned almost a little _too_ perfectly for ambushes, Anakin stretched out to the Force once more and felt his frown deepen**.** He could feel four individuals, all human, but they weren't alone.

Hunger. It stalked them like a living thing, tinged by the same dark energy seething through the Force, closing on the humans like the night closed in on day. Moving swiftly to a nearby mausoleum, Anakin decided that caution was needed while he analyzed the situation. The four humans seemed to be locked in a heated battle against four....Anakin couldn't tell what they were. Their presence in the Force felt as dark and twisted as the energy of this place....it was as if they were no longer a part of the living Force, as if their connection had been severed, allowing some dark energy to take root. Anakin shuddered slightly in disgust. Whoever or whatever they were, they were clearly winning the fight.

Their strength and speed was impressive, but it wasn't anything Anakin hadn't seen before - he'd seen Jedi padawans who moved faster. But it seemed the four individuals had not, and as Anakin watched he saw their numbers quickly reduced from four to two in under a minute. An older man who wore what appeared to be spectacled lenses swung a sword at the head of his attacker, but his intended target ducked under the blow before counterattacking with a hard left to the man's stomach. As he doubled over his attacker grabbed him by his coat and threw him into some nearby bushes. He didn't get up.

The second man to go down was a short young man with red hair. Anakin would have placed his age in his late teens at best, as well as the other young man and woman. The young man brought up some archaic looking weapon that vaguely reminded Anakin of a wookie crossbow, before he realized it was a crossbow! The young man hurriedly took aim and fired at a female attacker. The crossbow bolt slammed into her chest, just missing the heart, Anakin noted, which seemed to be where the boy was aiming. A weakness perhaps_?_ Anakin considered thoughtfully. But as he watched, the female attacker snarled at the boy before ripping the crossbow bolt out and throwing it to the ground.

"You'll pay for that!" she hissed in rage, and Anakin rolled his eyes and snorted at how ineffective she was at inciting anything remotely close to fear. _Pathetic_. The female... whatever she was... moved with clearly unnatural speed as the young man appeared to be reloading his weapon, but just as he finished and brought the weapon up he was hit was a solid backhand that sent him flying over a nearby headstone and into an open grave. Two down, two to go.

"OZ!!!" a young redheaded woman screamed in anguish. Anakin took a moment to study her as she ran toward the open grave but was intercepted by her attacker, who grabbed her.

"Haha boys, I got a hot one!" he laughed in glee while showing his fangs. "Go easy with her!" another one shouted, "She's cute, we can have some fun with her!" He sneered suggestively. Anakin had to suppress his growing anger; he was not going to let them do anything of the sort. But before he could move a dark-haired young man jumped into the fray holding a large battle axe. His movements were slow and uncoordinated, yet he moved with a strength and determination that had Anakin raising his eyebrows in _slight_ approval. Four against one and he was jumping _into _the fight…this one had courage.

His attack was successful enough, as the young woman's attacker threw her roughly to the ground and backed away from the axe-wielding young man.

"Willow!" the dark haired young man shouted, "Get Oz and Giles and get out of here now! I'll hold them off!" He swung the axe in a wild swing that forced his, now two, attackers to back off to a safe distance, but Anakin knew they were only biding their time to corner then disarm him.

Just as 'Willow' got up to move to the open grave she was grabbed about the neck by the female attacker who hissed into her ear, "Going somewhere deary? The party's just getting started." And with considerable strength she threw Willow next to the open grave.

"Xander, help me!" Willow screamed in fright before she landed with a resounding _thump_ and went silent.

The young man identified as Xander, however, had his own fight on his hands, as fighting off now three of the unnaturally fast and strong opponents required a bit of skill the boy didn't appear to have. A master swordsman himself, Anakin couldn't help but wince, with each wild swing of the axe he exposed himself just a little more for one of his attackers to...

Xander hit the ground hard as the axe was knocked from his grip, tackled from behind by one of his assailants. Kicking his right foot out, Xander connected with his attacker's face before rising to his feet to face off with the others. He pulled out some sort of odd looking weapon Anakin had never seen before and readied himself to attack.

_Behind you!_ Anakin warned instinctively, and as if heeding his warning the young man spun and jabbed the weapon into his attacker's chest then pulled out and backed away. His attacker staggered backward for a second in shock before he exploded into dust with a scream. Anakin had never felt anything die so spectacularly with such a mundane strike. So the heart was a weakness after all.

"You killed Nathan!" The one in front of him raged, spittle flying in all directions.

"What you vampires deserve!" Xander shot back defiantly.

Vampires – good; now he had a name to his attackers.

"We're going to kill you slowly and painfully!" the one in front of Xander raged as his buddy got up. The two began to flank Xander, pure murder in their eyes as they forced the young man back away from his fallen friends as he tried to keep both of the vampires in sight.

Enough of this,Anakin thought darkly. Time to make his presence felt. Taking a moment to note where the fallen weapon was, Anakin stepped out from the shadows behind the Mausoleum. "Leave the boy alone," he stated in a firm voice.

The two vampires turned in startled surprise at the sound of his voice. Sloppy. But the boy kept his concentration on his opponents in front of him.

"Thanks for the warning back there," Xander said to him in a somewhat strained voice, which caused Anakin to frown slightly as he casually moved up next to the boy. He shouldn't have felt his warning unless he was somehow... Force sensitive.

_Intriguing. _

None the less he shrugged slightly; it was something to consider for later - right now he needed to end this fight.

"I didn't think you were going to show yourself, which probably would have been the smart move on your part. Not many people get involved when it comes to fighting vampires. I don't suppose you have any weapons on you?" Xander asked hopefully.

"No, I'm afraid I don't." Anakin answered evenly, to which Xander gave a short laugh. While unarmed combat was something the Jedi trained in incase they were ever disarmed of their Lightsaber, it was not something they usually excelled at. Even Sith lords frowned upon learning unarmed combat techniques that didn't have any bearing on the Force. Anakin of course had been one of the few exceptions within the Order; having studied Hajitka and Echanie fighting arts, but he hadn't been able to really utilize them effectively while trapped in the sealed pressurized body suit he had been imprisoned in for decades, and he knew he was out of practice. Facing off against the confused vampires he didn't expect that was going to be a problem in this fight, considering the level of skill, or rather lack there of, he had observed in his opponents. All brute strength, no skill.

Amateurs.

"Looky here!" The vampire to the left sneered as his companion licked his lips "The more the merrier!"

"What are their weaknesses?" Anakin asked. He'd already observed one, but that didn't mean there weren't others he could exploit.

Xander tossed him a disbelieving look. "Are you serious! You don't know?"

"Never fought one before." Anakin answered with an amused shrug as he watched the two vampires share a look then split up, hoping to divide their prey's attention.

_Just makes it easier for me to deal with,_ Anakin thought with an inward smile_._

"Well, a wooden stake through the heart is sure way to kill them, so is sunlight, fire and holy water, oh, and beheadings work _really_ well, too," Xander responded quickly.

"I see," Anakin responded evenly with his back now turned to Xander, all the while never taking his eyes from his soon-to-be victim. Reaching out with the Force he gripped the fallen axe to get a feel for the weapon and patiently waited for the attack he knew was coming. The two vampires stopped their pacing and crept forward slowly, having determined they'd waited long enough.

Fools_._

Anakin could feel Xander tense and prepared for the attack.

"Be calm." Anakin said reassuringly, his eyes not leaving his opponent as he closed in.

"Easy for you to say, dude," Xander replied tersely.

"The Force is with us, just be mindful of your opponent and nothing else," Anakin responded.

"What about my friends? That other vampire is standing guard over them." Xander nodded in the direction of a motionless Oz and a moaning Willow with the female vampire now standing guard over them. But Giles was nowhere to be seen. Xander hoped that was good thing.

"I'll deal with that," Anakin replied confidently.

Xander meant to ask how he planned on dealing with that, but before he could the vampire charged him. Barely sidestepping in time, Xander ducked under a nasty haymaker that would have no doubt broken his jaw. Xander continued to dodge and move backwards, occasionally throwing a strike of his own to keep the vampire off balance, but he was seriously outmatched as his enemy possessed superior speed and strength, and with each move he was pushed further back onto the defensive and away from Anakin-.

And In that same instant Anakin exploded into action. Surrendering to the grip of the Force; the former Jedi Knight Force-leapt up and over his opponent in a blur summersault, whirling impossibly fast to strike out at his opponent with a vicious back spin-kick, knocking the vampire onto his stomach. As the surprised vampire scrambled to his feet he promptly had his world explode into light as Anakin's Force-enhanced right hook shattered his jaw, dropping him like a brick to the ground. Gripping the axe more firmly with the Force, Anakin summoned it. Never taking his eyes off his opponent, Anakin brought the axe up and around before severing the head of the vampire, who promptly exploded into dust.

Glancing to his left Anakin winced slightly as he observed Xander's fight. The boy's technique- if you could call it that- was sloppy, slow and unrefined, but he was managing to keep the vampire at bay, barely. He'd be fine for the moment,Anakin concluded, it was the others he was more worried about. Moving with a purpose he hadn't felt in a long time, Anakin closed the distance quickly to Xander's fallen friends before the female vampire hissed out a warning.

"I wouldn't _sweetie_!" she hissed menacingly, and Anakin suppressed his laughter. While he was increasingly confident in his ability to easily handle these vampires, he completely sure he could cross the distance in time before she killed the young man she was holding hostage, the young red haired man the girl Willow had called Oz.

"Drop it," the vampire barked referring to the axe in his hand, "Or I kill him!" She gripped his neck tighter. Anakin glanced down at the girl called Willow and frowned. She looked pitiful, almost as afraid of him as she was of the vampire, but she was even more afraid for the young man being held hostage. Her feelings of deep concern and longing for him were coming off in waves. Her lover,Anakin concluded. Giving her a reassuring smile, Anakin returned his attention to the vampire.

"I said drop it! You think I won't kill him!?"

Anakin slowly lowered the Ax to hang loosely at his side and probed with the Force to find anything he could use as a distraction, and was pleased as his eyes settled onto the fallen crossbow. The vampire followed his gaze and then broke out into a laugh. "That's not going to do you any good, sweetie. Now be a good boy and just wait right there while I eat, then I'll deal with you and I'll keep the girl for desert," she said with a wicked sneer. Clearly she thought she had already won, and was going to kill her hostage anyway. _Not going to happen, _Anakin swore. Acting on the whisperings of the Force Anakin tossed the Axe toward a nearby grave stone, a move the vampire instinctively followed giving Anakin the opening he was looking for. Stretching out to the Force, Anakin summoned the crossbow and in a flash it was in his hands. The female vampire had barely managed whirl around and let out a startled gasp before Anakin brought the crossbow up and fired. With Force assistance, the crossbow bolt flew straight and true just narrowly missing Oz's head and piercing the heart of the vampire. She dropped the boy and looked down at the bolt with dumbfounded confusion before she brought her startled eyes up to meet Anakin's. "Damn," she muttered before exploding into dust.

"Thanks," Oz gasped between deep breaths.

"My pleasure." Anakin gave a faint smile.

"Oz!" Willow cried happily as she struggled to her boyfriend and hugged him tightly. "I was so worried. Are you ok?"

"Yeah babe, I'm fine," he reassured her.

"Where are Giles and Xander?" Willow asked.

"Your older friend is over there in the bushes." Anakin pointed to a clump of bushes surrounding a tree a few feet away. "He appears dazed but otherwise unharmed. Xander is over there...and if you'll excuse me, it seems he may need my help." And moving with speed Willow only associated with a Slayer he was gone.

"Who was that?" Oz asked, gingerly rubbing his neck.

"I don't know."

Xander was having a real tough time in this fight; he'd managed to tag the fang face a few times and even managed to stab it once with the stake. Unfortunately he'd missed the heart, which wasn't good. Even worse, the vamp had managed to knock the stake from his hand. Definitely not good! Xander's forearms were already painfully numb from the numerous blows he had barely managed to block - the strength of each blow felt like getting hit by a baseball bat, which given the force involved wasn't far from the truth. His arms hurt and he was exhausted from the night's fight, but he was not going to give up.

Ok, so taking on one fledgling before he could kill someone had seemed like a good idea - they had done it before - but none of them expected that said fledgling would have some of his undead buddies show up to make sure he made it into his unlife without the Slayer to mess things up. They didn't get the Slayer, but they had managed to ambush her friends instead. As Xander staggered back from yet another powerful blow he wondered how much longer he could keep this up.

Frustrated with constantly being on the defensive, Xander lashed out with a quick jab that connected with the vampire's face, surprising him. Building on what little momentum he had, Xander lashed out with a kick to the back of the kneecap which brought the vamp down to one knee; a follow up kick to the vamp's face failed to connect, as the vampire ducked under it before spinning and rising to face Xander head-on. Xander pressed his attack with a series of hooks and jabs, all of which were easily blocked by the vampire, who grabbed Xander's last punch and pulled him in before unleashing a wicked uppercut into Xander's solar plexus. Xander felt the air explode from his lungs and he doubled over but the vampire was not done with him, as a hook connected with his face, finally putting him down. The vampire sat on his chest, using his legs to pin Xander's arms at his side and smiled wickedly into his face.

"I hate it when my dinner puts up a spirited fight," it said with mock disgust.

"I hope I give you indigestion!" Xander shot back. Ok, it was a little corny, but it was all he had on a dazed moment's notice, and besides he wasn't going to give this thing the satisfaction of watching him beg for his life. The vampire licked its lips and bared its fangs as it bent down to bite at Xander's neck, but just before he could, some unseen force picked up the vampire and slammed it into the mausoleum more than fifteen feet away. Rolling over onto his stomach, Xander glanced up and saw the mysterious guy who had saved him earlier. He had one hand extended, with a look of concentration on his face and Xander's cleaver in the other. Slowly rising to his feet, Xander could feel his right eye swelling shut from where the vamp had connected with his face, but he ignored it and watched as the vampire also staggered to his feet.

"Get behind me," the man said. Xander didn't even try to argue with him and did as instructed. The vampire slowly stalked over to them, shaking the cobwebs from his head before finally realizing he was alone.

"Your friends have been dealt with. Now unless you want to join them, I suggest you do something smart and leave while I'm feeling generous," Anakin stated in a cold voice. The fledgling looked to Anakin and Xander, then to the spot where his now dusted friends were scattering in the wind, then back to Anakin. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, he took off without another word. The fight was over.

"I almost wish he stayed." Xander quipped. Anakin gave a slight smile before turning and heading back towards the others while handing Xander the axe. "Let's go check on your friends."

"Yeah" Xander sighed, allowing himself to relax somewhat for the first time since the ambush began. Slowly he turned and followed his mysterious benefactor.

The two traveled in silence as they made their way back to Oz and Willow, and as Xander saw with relief, both were helping a rather flustered Rupert Giles extract himself from the bushes.

"Hey G-man, are you ok?" Xander asked as they came within earshot.

"I'd do better if you'd stop calling me by that insufferable nickname, Xander," Giles said, rubbing his sore ribs. "But y-yes, I think I'll be fine." Taking a moment to look around him he frowned. "Has anyone seen my glasses?"

"Here" Oz said, retrieving them from a nearby headstone.

"Thank you Oz."

"No problem," Oz said, still rubbing the side of his head where he got backhanded.

Re-donning his glasses, Giles inspected each and every member of the Scooby Gang for any signs of serious injury. Although a Watcher's job was to train and watch over his Slayer, Giles had long ago come to realize this group was special, in that they supported his Slayer in a way no previous Slayer had been privy too. The results spoke for themselves, as Buffy was one of the longest living Slayers in history and that was due in no small part to the group who stood with him now.

But it was more than that. With Buffy having been gone for the past week and no idea when she would return, the Scoobies had decided to carry on the fight until she got back..._if_ she came back. After tonights near catastrophe, they would have to sit down and rethink their strategy.

"It's good to see you all are ok," Giles sighed with relief. Though battered, none appeared to be too injured. It was only then that Giles noticed the young man standing next to Xander. He was young; early twenties, with shoulder length blond hair and piercing blue eyes that spoke of experience beyond his years, and from the way he stood observing his surroundings, he gave an air of someone constantly on guard. By his build Giles suspected he was in great physical shape and could probably handle himself very well in a fight, but there seemed to be something odd about him, aside from his interesting taste of clothes.

"I don't believe we've met," Giles said cautiously. The young man seemed to become mildly uncomfortable before finally coming to a decision.

"Anakin. Anakin Skywalker," he said simply.

"I'm Xander Harris, This is Willow Rosenberg, Rupert Giles and Daniel Osbourne."

"Just call me Oz." Oz smiled.

"A pleasure to meet you all," Anakin bowed formally.

"Well Anakin, I think I can safely say for all of us that we appreciate your help." Giles said.

"I'll say, he saved our bacon tonight; guy moves like a Slayer," Xander said with a hint of disbelief in his voice. Oz and Willow cast startled glances at Anakin, who did nothing but return their gazes levelly.

"He what?" Giles sputtered.

"I'm telling you, the guy moved like Buffy on steroids," Xander said with a grin. "He jumped like fifteen feet in the air and took out a vamp in no time; it was unbelievable. I never heard of anyone who could move like that."

"You need to get out more," Oz remarked dryly.

"Hey Giles, I never heard of a He-Slayer before but if there is one how do I get on the list?" Xander joked.

"Oh, Xander," Willow groaned. "That was horrible."

"What?" Xander shrugged. "That line was pure genius, I tell you Wills, a genius is never appreciated in their own time."

"I believe the term you're looking for is Demon Hunter." Giles said rubbing his forehead but his eyes never wavered from Anakin.

Xander seemed to be a bit of a jokester, _and right now a bad one_, Anakin thought, but he was trying to do Anakin a favor by deflecting the growing alarm and unease over his displayed abilities, and instead direct their attention to himself with his blatantly bad jokes. Stretching out with the Force, Anakin could feel Willow's mind piecing together the events where Anakin summoned the crossbow with the Force. Sure enough, her eyes locked on to his and immediately grew cautious. _These people don't trust easily._ Sighing Anakin realized he needed to take control of the situation before he spooked his new...well, he wasn't exactly sure what to call them.

"Look, as much as I would love to stay here and discuss this, I believe we should move to a safer location. I don't want the vampire to bring back any more of his friends."

"Yes-yes you're quite right, Mr. Anakin," Giles agreed.

"Just Anakin will do fine," Anakin said reassuringly. "If you don't mind, however, I believe it would be wise to stick together for the time being, until we've all reached safety. Then, if you're feeling up to it, I believe an exchange of information would be prudent before we part ways."

Willow narrowed her eyes in slight suspicion. "While I am very much thankful to you for saving our lives, thank you very much, but how can we trust you? I've never heard of a guy who could move like a Slayer and use weird magic like that. I mean, no offense or anything, but how do we know you won't go all _grrrr_ on us, or or or how do we know this isn't some elaborate plot by Spike and Drusilla or, or, or..."

"Wills, breathe," Xander cut in, as Oz moved to his girlfriend and put a comforting arm around her waist. It seemed to work as the girl calmed visibly. "I mean think about it for a second," Xander mused wistfully, "When have Spike or Drusilla ever done something that clever?"

"Well, there was the Judge and Alcathla," Willow countered.

"Point," Xander agreed in good humor. "But if there plan was to take us out, why send in someone to save us?"

"To earn our trust and then get to Buffy," Willow pointed out quickly.

"Doesn't fit their M. O," Oz mused with a shake of the head. "Very direct, those two."

"It's not my intent to harm you," Anakin assured them genuinely. "If that had been the case, I would have left you to your fate."

"And I, for one, am very glad you didn't," Giles spoke up.

"We could have taken them," Xander huffed a bit defensively. The three remaining Scoobies simply stared with a mix of amusement and annoyance. "Or not," he added sheepishly.

"Yes, well now that Xander has finished thumping his chest for the wounded pride of the Scoobies, I believe we should be off," Giles insisted.

"Where to?" Oz asked.

"What about your place, Giles? Or should we go back to the Library?" Willow considered.

"It's almost 1 AM, Wills, and the school is a bit far off on foot. I don't think we'd make it without running into more trouble," Xander countered.  
"Why is that?" Anakin asked. They had been moving while talking and seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to leave the cemetery and they soon neared the entrance. Anakin couldn't really blame them, in fact he agreed completely, the place put out a disturbing feeling in the Force and he was still weak from....his rebirth? He didn't know how he had come to this strange world but his feelings told him to continue down this path.

"Vampire activity spikes just before midnight and stays that way until dawn I'm afraid. And we're in no condition to face another pack of fledglings," Giles explained. They exited the cemetery and slowly proceeded on foot down eerily quiet streets of the almost ghost-like town. Never before had Anakin seen so little activity at night on any world that had a thriving civilization. Stretching out to the Force Anakin was comforted to note that there was life here, it just seemed the people preferred to stay indoors.

"Is this natural?" Anakin asked gesturing to the practically empty street.

"Whether or not the unsuspecting population of Sunnydale believes in the existence of Vampires and Demons, they've long since learned that to venture out at night can be rather dangerous. Most people who you'll find out this late at night are either naive or new in town, and they typically don't last very long I'm afraid." Anakin nodded in thought as he absorbed Giles' words. The man seemed very wise, and he had already given Anakin more information then he'd previously had, but Anakin decided not to push the matter until they arrived at Giles' place. Then he would get his answers, hopefully.

"You're obviously new here to Sunnydale as well," Giles observed. "How long have you been here?"

"I just arrived." Anakin answered truthfully.

"Wow, first night in town and he's already dustin' vamps, way to get your Sunnydale cherry popped," Xander enthused. Anakin shot him an amused smirk.

"And saving Scoobies in distress, can't forget that," Oz added.

"Yeah, that'll earn you some brownie points with the Slayer," Xander said. At this the group seemed to become a bit remorseful, as if something bad had recently happened. He could see it in their expressions without having to use the Force. There was a story there and Anakin didn't feel the need to push, but he wondered, could a Slayer be their version of a Jedi? A Force sensitive individual who could tap into that power? Possibly, Anakin thought to himself, he'd certainly been on a number of worlds that called Force sensitive individuals by other names than Jedi or Sith. But then he remembered something else the young man implied, something to the fact that Slayers appeared to be only female. Interesting.

Gauging his surroundings more intently, Anakin frowned at the rather primitive technology displayed. Using the Force, Anakin was disheartened to feel that the ground he walked on was some chemical synthetic that didn't appear any more advanced then wet mud, and glancing at the primitive-looking lights that provided poor illumination, Anakin could hardly hide his scowl. _If the technology of this place is this primitive I'm not sure I want to know what they have for Star Travel technology._ Anakin's feelings told him he wasn't going to like the answer to this question when it came.

"Something wrong?" Oz asked, having noticed Anakin's scowl.

"Just more questions to consider," Anakin answered.

"Cool." Oz let the matter drop, and the group continued in silence for a time.

"Here we are," Giles spoke up when they arrived at a nearby building. They made their way to Giles' apartment, a rather small-looking place filled with books and assorted documents and relics. It suited his character, Anakin reflected. Upon entering the apartment itself the Scoobies gave small sighs of relief that he didn't fail to notice.

"Never invite people into your house at night," Xander said seriously. "Vampires can't come in unless they're invited." Anakin had never heard of anything like it, but decided not to press for the details as to why. Sitting down in a nearby chair, Anakin gave an amused grin. "And you thought I was one?"

"Well, no," Willow began. "It's just that...well we don't know what you are," Willow stated.

"I'm still going with He-Slayer." Xander insisted.

"Demon Hunter," Giles corrected with mild annoyance. "Unfortunately that line has long since been broken, unlike the Vampire Slayers." Taking a long look at Anakin, "Or maybe not."

"Huh?" Xander asked.

"Well, instead of one girl in all the world, at one point in time it was one girl and one boy in all the world, but some six hundred years ago or so, during the time of the Dark Ages the line of the Demon Hunter was broken. How remains a mystery, but it was a terrible blow in the battle against the darkness."

"Rough," Oz deadpanned.

"You have no idea, Oz. Instead of working together as they were fated to, the Slayers were force to operate alone. That just put more strain on the Slayers, and as a result their life expectancy, while already abysmal, plummeted.

Interesting theories_, _Anakin thought,but they were way off the mark.

"So what's a Slayer?"

"You...don't know?" Giles asked with clear astonishment. Anakin shook his head in the negative.

"My word, this is a bit unexpected." Giles frowned slightly before sitting on the couch. Taking a moment to remove his glasses and polish them, a tactic Anakin immediately recognized as a thinking stall, "I think this situation may be a bit more...complex then we had originally thought. I had believed that you were of the fallen line of the Demon Hunter. If that had been the case, you should have known instinctively what a Slayer was, even if you had never met one," he said as he re-donned his glasses, an expression of detached interest playing across his face although Anakin could sense his mind moving at incredible speeds. Anakin suspected that the man had a considerable reservoir of knowledge. He was just the kind of lucky find that could only be the will of the Force.

"But he doesn't seem to," Xander pointed out.

"And he uses funky magic I've never seen before," Willow added, with something resembling awe and eagerness. In Anakin's opinion she seemed to be working herself to some sort of conclusion about him, he just hoped it was a positive one. It didn't really matter to Anakin one way or the other, he had no plans to stay long anyway. But one word did capture his interest, something she mentioned that stirred a memory in him.

Magic.

It was something the Jedi never really dealt with, instead preferring to focus on the living Force. The records on the subject were sketchy at best, mostly due to the Jedi discounting it, and the Sith never really bothered with it. But there were worlds in the outer rim that practiced it, though Anakin had never met someone face to face who did.

Until now.

Narrowing his eyes and stretching out to the Force, Anakin probed the young girl discreetly. There was a strange considerable reservoir of energy about her, nothing dark that he could detect, but something different intermixed with her Force signature - Anakin couldn't begin to describe it. He could only assume she was a professed magic user by the way she seemed to assume that Anakin was one as well. Not the best of logic to use, but you could gain valuable insights from a person's mindset by how they saw the world, and she clearly saw Anakin as a practitioner of magic.

"If-if you're not a Demon Hunter then how did you do what the others claim you did back at the cemetery? I, for one, didn't witness anything other then an up close encounter with a large shrub. Are you using some form of magic?" Giles asked.

"No, I'm not one of these professed Demon Hunters, nor do I use magic. I've been trained in the ways of the Force," Anakin stated simply, which earned him some blank stares.

"The what?" Giles asked.

"The living Force; surely you know of it?" Anakin asked in confusion - who in the galaxy didn't know of the Force? But as he focused on the four individuals with him, Anakin could feel their confusion clearly. They didn't know.

Clearly intrigued with this revelation, Giles asked. "Could you tell us a little about this force?

Shrugging slightly, Anakin didn't see the harm. "It's difficult to explain, but I'll try. The Force is an energy field created by all living things; it surrounds us, penetrates us, and connects us to the world and beyond." Looking to his audience he was surprised to receive some rather blank stares, except for Xander, who seemed to be considering his words. Looking more intently to Xander, Anakin again stretched out to the Force to get a feel for the young man, what he felt almost made him raise his eyebrows in surprise. The Force was _strong_ in him, unrefined, unchanneled and untapped, but his potential was _enormous_, possibly rivaling his own. Xander, for his part, seemed to feel something because he raised his head and frowned, his eyes locking onto Anakin's. Regaining his composure, Anakin pressed on with his explanation but kept his eyes locked onto Xander. "If you're strong enough in the Force and learn to quiet your mind, you can even tap into that power. For the Force is a powerful ally, and with it at your side you are never truly alone."

"This Force...it's...sentient?" Giles hazarded, having missed Anakin's intent gaze.

"I don't know," Anakin answered truthfully." The Force is the Force and there are none who have been able to unlock all its mysteries, myself included."

"Cool," Oz said with something akin to awe in his voice. Anakin didn't suppress the smile that crept onto his face; he had never met anyone quite like the taciturn young man before him. Oz seemed to accept things as they were without much in the way of outward emotion. He was almost Jedi in that regard. Instinctively Anakin stretched out to the Force to get a better feel for the young man and was again surprised by what he found. Oz too seemed to be strong in the Force, not quite as strong as Xander was, but he had considerable potential in him all the same. But there was something else, something subtle that Anakin couldn't quite get a read on, as if something in the boy had been...infected? Again, it was something Anakin had a hard time grasping but it was enough to perk his curiosity. _This world is just full of surprises,_ Anakin mused. Studying Oz's features closely, Anakin noted Oz seemed to be frowning slightly as if he felt something before turning his attention back to Anakin with a raised eyebrow. They both felt it. Anakin was certain of it, but neither of them spoke up, which he was glad for. This situation required discretion.

"Well that is indeed a mystery." Giles said "I'll have to do some more research to see if I can find any references to the Force, though it would probably have been called by another name."

Xander groaned. "Giles, it's almost two in the morning. My eye's swelling shut, my body feels as if it's been hit by a freight train and my brain has gone to mush."

"It does that a lot, I've noticed." Oz smirked.

"And again with the snide comments," Xander joked. "But don't worry Oz, your day of retribution is coming! Oh yeah, it's coming soon!"

"I am pretty tired," Willow said, and as if to emphasize the point, she yawned.

"Perhaps we should pick this discussion up tomorrow," Giles offered. He, too, was showing signs of fatigue. "Do you have a place to stay Anakin?"

"No," Anakin answered.

"Well it may not be much, but I offer the spare room, at least until we can get you settled or something." On the surface Giles' offer seemed to be made out of gratitude for what the young man had done, and in truth it was. But there was more to it then that. Giles had a very strategic mind, and right now even in his fatigued state he was considering the new possibilities this potential ally brought to the table. With Buffy gone, they were going to need someone with similar capabilities to step in until she returned. And while the Scoobies were doing their best, it just wasn't enough without a Slayer.

"Thank you," Anakin accepted.

"Will you all have trouble getting home?" Giles asked the Scoobies as they began heading for the door.

"I got it covered," Oz said, referring to his van."They'll make it home ok."

"Yes, thank you, Oz," Giles said. "I'll see you all tomorrow at the Library and we'll see what we can do to rethink our approach to all this."

"Sure thing G-man," Xander quipped as they said their goodbyes and filed out the door.

"I must apologize, I know you had many questions that you would have liked answered." Giles said in a contrite tone.

"There is no need to apologize." Anakin said shaking his head. "I've learned long ago the need for patience. The answers I need will come in time."

Giles smiled in acceptance. "Will you join us at the Library tomorrow?"

"I see no reason not to, besides I still have some more questions about this place, as well. The Force feels...different here."

"Ah yes, of course. Well, I will bid you good night Anakin." Giles nodded then headed for his bedroom. Anakin moved off to the spare room but instead of sleeping moved into the classic Jedi mediation position to use Force healing. As he stretched out to the Force, a small part of Anakin's mind replayed the events that had transpired. He knew it was too much to expect to have all the answers he wanted so quickly, but as he replayed the events in his mind he realized he had yet even more questions. Well, given time he would get his answers. But something about this situation felt...well, right wasn't the exact word for it, rather he felt he was supposed to be here. To do what, he didn't know, but Anakin didn't intend to waste the opportunity afforded him. Force healing wouldn't take long to regenerate his strength which would give Anakin enough time to ponder his next moves. He had some nagging suspicions about this world, suspicions only the Force could truly answer to his satisfaction. Satisfied for the moment Anakin began to let his mind drift through the Force while he waited for the dawn.


	3. Chapter 2 A New Hope

**Chapter 2. A New Hope**

_**The Next Day**_

Giles sat silently, watching the tall figure of the newcomer, standing motionless on the edge of the roof. Seemingly unphased by the two story drop before him, the dark figure of Anakin was silhouetted against the orange glow of the streetlights, and the first small lighting to the east that spoke of oncoming dawn.

Giles shifted slightly from his seat on a plastic chair. He really didn't want to disturb the man, but he was growing increasingly stiff. The cheap plastic of his seat offered no real support for his back, and as much as he hated to admit it, his body wasn't as young as it used to be. That and the bruises from earlier were starting to make their presence known.

He had followed silently earlier, as Anakin had scaled the circular steps to the roof, climbing onto the open space used by the Tenents for their smoking breaks. That had been almost two hours previously, and for all that time, the young man before him had not shifted his position more than an inch. Giles had sunk gratefully down into a scuffed chair that some enterprising individual had carried up the stairway some time earlier, the cheap orange plastic bleached white by the sun.

He still wasn't entirely sure why he had followed, perhaps distrust, perhaps simple curiosity. Perhaps the latter was closest to the truth, for the Englishman was still uncertain what to make of this strange young man. He was a riddle, speaking of things that Giles, for all his years of experience in the arcane, could hardly begin to understand. The tale was so fantastical at first glance, that had Giles not sensed a vain of truth and pain behind the newcomers' words, he might have dismissed it as impossible. Yet, despite the deep well of pain and anger that still dwelled inside him, following the betrayal and mistakes, many his own, that had led to Jenny's death, there remained a fragment of the hope and optimism of better days. In Anakin's dark and strangely old eyes, he sensed no malice, only weariness, and pain. Giles clutched the hilt of his sword, yes, he knew what pain looked like, it haunted his own eyes every time he looked in a mirror. This stranger, whoever he was, or whatever his past, didn't intend them harm, judging by his actions the previous evening. That might change of course, but right now, Rupert was taking life one day at a time.

He closed his hands once more about the sword that lay across his knees, and unsuccessfully tried to relax. He didn't want to move, didn't want to be the first to break the calm that had settled over the rooftop. It was a strange feeling, but he had felt more peaceful for the last few hours than he had for days. He gazed east out over the city, feeling a soft cool breeze fan pleasantly on his face. The night had been cool and warm, the absorbed heat of the day reflecting from the stone and concrete of the city. In a few hours, the sun would be high overhead, and the heat would beat down upon Sunnydale. For now, he enjoyed the sensation.

The glow in the east increased, not the harsh orange of the street lighting, but a soft warm light, the sky above growing steadily brighter, as sunrise drew near. Clouds glowed softly, as the first rays lanced over the horizon. Giles saw Anakin lift his head slightly, and gaze at the first light of day, his hair blowing softly in the morning breeze. The soft fabric of his uniform and robe appeared to shine, the light reflecting off the contours of the shoulders, picking out details that had until now been hidden by darkness. The dull red of the insignia on his arm seemed to glow, the soft circle whose meaning was unknown to Rupert shining proudly in the first light of day. Smiling slightly Rupert stiffly rose from the chair to fetch some morning tea, it would soon be time to meet up with the others.

*'_You were the Chosen One! It was said that you would destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!_'*

The words echoed in his thoughts, repeating in his ears as regularly as his own heartbeats. It was both a statement of fact and an accusation, a sentence full of anger and yet also immense anguish. He could see now clearly the great depth of pain in this few simple words, the weight that was built up behind them like a dam. At the time he had been in agony, limbs severed and flesh burning on the ash of Mustafar, yet while his pain was physical Obi Wan's had been just as deep. He could see that now, he could see what his old friend and Master had lost and it was all because of him.

Anakin Skywalker stared out over this new small town, hands clasped behind his back and feet set firmly apart. It was a posture he had always stood in, as Jedi Knight and Sith Lord, immovable and imposing. He couldn't break the habit, even knowing the associations it now held. This time though his mind did not reflect his stance, for so long he had been certain of his destiny and his place in life, the role he had been forced into through Palpatine's cunning. Whether he liked it or not he was the Emperor's enforcer and simply obeyed. At least, that is what he allowed himself to think.

The truth was different of course; in the end he had found his strength, that ember of his past life that remained unbroken by the power of darkness. He had turned on Palpatine, destroyed the Emperor and brought about a new era in the galaxy. He hadn't expected to survive, he hadn't given any thought to the future because he hadn't expected there to be one. Yet here he was.  
His confusion had given way now to a more controlled curiosity, a desire to measure and understand this place and from there define his place in it. What was instantly apparent to him was that greater powers were at work. This was no accident, destiny did not make mistakes like this. He was here for a reason, and finding that reason would be his second priority. His first priority was going to be surviving.

In that respect at least he had help. The people he had met seemed just and true, fighting against evil, darkness and corruption. He had met many people like that in his life, the few who stood against evil. He had been one of them at some point, and then he had become the darkness they had sought to destroy. Too many had died at his hands, seared on his blood red saber or crushed in his iron grip. People like these made the galaxy a better place, they were all too few and thanks to him all too fewer.

There was something here on this world, something that seemed just outside his peripheral vision, hanging like a shadow beyond him. Whatever it was it did not wish to be found, and it held within it his answers, shrouded in great darkness.

He had fought some of the creatures here and prevailed, and in doing so had proven himself an ally to this group of fighters, though trust would take some time. He understood, he had often felt on the outside of trust before, they needed time and understanding. Again he knew this was no accident, his timing, his location, in a whole world, a whole galaxy, he had woken just there and just then. It was the will of the Force, and he accepted it without question. One of his strongest memories was of Qui Gonn Jinn speaking about the Living Force, the acceptance of fate as something uncontrollable. It was best to live in the moment, savor existence day by day and do good as it appeared before you. He had rarely accepted that teaching before, but from this moment on he would. It could easily have saved him and so many others.

He took a long refreshing breath, invigorating him in body and soul. The air was cool and sweet, a tinge of the sea in its scent telling him he was in a coastal town. It had been so long since he had been able to draw breath by himself, for over two decades he had been sealed in a walking coffin or trapped in his black tomb of a meditation chamber. His lungs had subsisted on purified oxygen with no flavor to it, always the same temperature and constitution. He had been too confused and then too busy to truly savor it before, but now, now he let go of his senses and drifted in the moment.

The sun was cresting the horizon, turning the ruddy twilight into an orange dawn. He had forgotten the warmth of the sun, any sun, and after a childhood on the desert world of Tatooine it brought it all back to him far more concisely than any words. He could tell it was going to be hot, that this was an arid place, but the proximity of the sea made it comfortable, much different to his childhood home.  
He let the breeze tussle his hair, felt it on the skin of his hands and face, it was just indescribable. For a brief second he even managed to feel happiness, contentment, release. All the years fell away and he was as young in mind as he was in body. Then it hit him like the prow of a Star Destroyer.

*'_I don't know you anymore. Anakin, you're breaking my heart! You're going down a path I can't follow!_'*

All those lives, all that death. He had killed the man who had been like a Father to him, a brother. He had maimed his own son, tortured his own daughter, wiped out the guardians of peace and justice, slaughtered good people by the millions and more. He had even murdered children too young to even understand, children who had trusted him and looked up to him, sliced them down without so much as a second glance at their terrified faces. He was their hero.  
But even then, even those innocents paled in the long list of regrets when set beside his wife. It was selfish, what was one life among so many? Yet he couldn't help it, Padme had broken him and for twenty years he had been a machine, as mechanical as the limbs grafted to his body. His constant physical pain had been nothing compared to the pain of her death, and knowing he was directly responsible. Rage and jealousy had killed her, and her image had been used by Palpatine to make him do whatever the great Sith wanted.

He closed his eyes tight and turned away from the sun. He did not deserve to bask in it, could not enjoy it. Happiness was not his right; he had forfeited it in the moment he had stood with Palpitine against Mace Windu, unleashing the monster that was Darth Sidious onto a Galaxy of quadrillions of beings who would thus know only darkness for a generation. He had lost his right to walk in the light, when he had turned his hand against his love, even as she had desperately tried to pull him back into it from the darkness…

_*'Your thoughts betray you Father…I feel the good in you…the conflict…'*_

And yet…while he _deserved_ nothing except hardship and pain, his _son _had risked everything to turn him back. There was so much he had done that could not be undone, but perhaps _this_ was his chance and his destiny; to truly bring balance to the Force. Perhaps he could now erase the bad by doing more good, though inside he doubted he could ever truly return to what he had once been. Too much had happened, too much blood and terror.  
He opened his eyes again, looking into one of the windows of an upper level apartment and catching his reflection, still taken aback by his transformation. The sun was rising behind him and in the rays he thought he saw something. He frowned, trying to adjust his eyes to the glare until he picked out a figure, a face looking over his shoulder with deep sad eyes. He felt his mouth open as he recognized the visage, the trim beard and perpetually open expression.  
"Master Qui Gonn…"

"Excuse me?"  
Anakin snapped round to see not his old Jedi Master, but rather Rupert Giles, two cups of tea in hand.

"No…nothing." He composed himself. "Just thought I saw something, wishful thinking."

"Hmm." Giles nodded. "I brought you a drink, I find it helps me relax and, no offense of course, you look like you need it."  
He took the cup of warm liquid and raised it to his lips, sipping some of the substance. He closed his eyes, the taste reminding him of the time he could eat and drink normally. One more gift now restored to him.

"Thank you."

"You're quite welcome." The Watcher set himself at ease. "Not a bad morning. Well, for California."

"Is that the name of this world?"

"Well, some people would like you to believe that." The Englishman related with a touch of sarcasm. "But no, this world is called Earth."

He took a sip of tea. "So when you indicated you were not from here, you meant that very literally?"

Anakin nodded. There were some things he couldn't talk about, things he himself was still unsure about and unable to confront. He was still getting used to being himself again, to being Anakin and not Vader. Confronting his past would require intense meditation and a lot of inner strength. He couldn't tell these people he was once the sort of monster heroes are born to defeat, but at the same time it was clear Giles knew he was more than he let on.  
"I'm from another world." He said. "Out beyond there." He pointed at the sky, the unfamiliar stars fading as the sun rose.

"You mean space?"

"That's right."

Giles frowned. "Not separate dimensions or universes, but another planet?"

"That's correct."

He tilted his head. "I don't think my associates have ever encountered an actual alien before. Welcome to Earth. It has its flaws, but is actually rather a nice place."

"I noticed there are no ships in the air or in orbit." Anakin spoke. "Just a few air speeders and your land speeders seem to use wheels exclusively."

"True on all counts," Giles said. "We haven't moved into space yet, our limit was the Moon."

"So no Hyperdrive? No stellar travel?"

"No inter planetary travel even." Giles confirmed. "We exist on this world alone, however we do not exist here alone. There are many levels of existence, different dimensions parallel to our own. That is where these creatures come from. Demons of various kinds.'

"I've heard tales about demons as a child." Anakin frowned. "It's hard to believe they are real."

"And I'm finding it hard to accept that I'm talking to a man from outer space who looks like us and talks perfect English." Giles grinned. "I'm inclined to believe you saw too much Science Fiction as a child, but then you have demonstrated some rather un-Earthly abilities."

"I was well trained in the Force." He said. "For a long time I lost much of my power, but now I can feel it all coming back, stronger even. It's a great strength, and a great responsibility. This time I'll know how to use it well."

Giles raised an eyebrow. "This time?"

Anakin lowered his eyes. "I don't know how I arrived here Mr. Giles. But before I left I was dying, in fact I was dead. I had lived a long life; I was around your age, a grown man with two grown up children. Now here I am on this world, fully restored to my prime with no idea if I am in the past, the future, or on one of these dimensions you speak of."

"Yes, confusion does seem to be the order of the day." Giles nodded. "Still, you have demonstrated some particular skills, and a willingness to use them for good."

"Absolutely," Anakin answered quickly and sincerely. "Until I know why I am here I will do all I can to help you and your people. It is... what my master would have wanted.'

"What sort of Master would that be?"

"He was my first mentor, the man who took me out of slavery and brought me to the Jedi order." Anakin spoke, seeing in Giles' eyes that he wasn't really following. "I was born on a world called Tatooine, it was officially part of the galaxy spanning Republic, but the law never really touched out there and there were many slaves. A Jedi Master called Qui Gonn Jinn took me from that place and brought me to his order. He saved me."

"So who are these Jedi?"

"We were the guardians of peace and Justice in the Republic, knights, masters and learners all powerful in the Force. Fate gave us these gifts, greater speed, strength, reflexes and precognition, even the ability to levitate objects and read minds, just to name a few. I know some here would call it magic, _one_ in particular, but it's something deeper. We studied and meditated on the Force when we could, negotiated settlements between worlds, and when necessary we fought."

"Not dissimilar to the Military orders of history, Knights Templar or Hospitaller to an extent."

"I don't know, but we tried to fight evil and injustice, and I had the privilege of learning from two of the greatest Jedi in history."

"Are they still up there? Perhaps looking for you?"

"No, they're gone." Anakin spoke heavily. "The order was destroyed, I was the last."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Giles offered.

"They were betrayed, killed by the very people they had fought alongside, fought for." Anakin shook his head. "Killed by their own friends and allies. Brother turning on brother, and while I can see how it happened I still can't see why. I don't know why we could let it happen, why _I_ let it happen."

They stood in silence for a few moments, Anakin feeling the heat from the tea cup on his hands, one more of those tiny sensations that he had all but forgotten and which now meant so much.

"There's a lot that happened, a lot that went wrong which I am responsible for." He admitted carefully. "I can't change it, but if the Force is with me I will try and do something to make up for it."

"A quest for redemption?" Giles considered. "One of the worthier motivations."

"There isn't much else I can do." He grimaced. "You understand?"

"Very well," Giles said. "We all have moments in our youth that we wish had not occurred. Moments you regret until you die."

Anakin gave the man a thoughtful glance, catching a hint of something in his eyes, he understood. Giles could not have done what he had done, very few could claim that, but there was definitely something haunting his past. He understood the need for redemption, and perhaps his dedication here to this cause was a response to that.

"I want to fight alongside you. Whatever comes, whatever threat, I'm ready to face it. I had thought my quest would take me back out there, but its lead me to the here and now, on this world."

Giles nodded. "Then I welcome you." He extended his hand, which Anakin took in kind.  
Giles for his part was still extremely wary, and until he saw and knew more he would treat this powerful stranger with care and caution. There was more beneath the surface, but if experience had taught him anything, especially regarding Angel, it was that anyone was capable of good.  
Of course as Angel had more recently shown, the opposite was also very true.

"This is a good fight, and we need good people to wage it. Come on, we've got a lot to discuss."

They went inside to eat a light breakfast before heading to the school to meet the others, but it soon became apparent that a light breakfast would simply not do in Anakin's case. Initially a little wary of something called scrambled eggs, English muffins and cereal, Anakin took a speculative bite of his food before his ravenous hunger kicked in. he didn't so much as eat as he inhaled, by the time he was satisfied he had packed away three bowls of cereal, two helpings of scrambled eggs and about six English muffins along with four glasses of orange juice.

"You pack away about as much food as Buffy does." Giles shook his head with a wry smile. The sight was all too familiar to have any effect on him.

"I apologize, I usually don't eat this much. Whatever it was that regenerated my body consumed much of my energy. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until this moment."

Giles waved a hand in dismissal "Think nothing of it." Glancing at the nearby clock "Shall we be off? The others should be arriving any moment now." They left the apartment soon after; traveling down the rapidly filling streets of Sunnydale in Giles's car. The town seemed to be coming alive; with businesses and shops opening while people left their homes to face the challenges of the day. It was a stark contrast to what he had witnessed only a few hours earlier.

It proved to be a short drive, with Giles telling Anakin much about what they knew of the Slayer and the Hellmouth and how it attracted vampires and demons; ironically like a beacon in the night. Giles had also pointed out the towns many cemeteries after passing two of them. Twelve large ones in all for a town of fifty thousand in just under a hundred years, Anakin shook his head in disgust when he did the math.

"What about the law? Surely they must do something about this?" Anakin asked. Giles snorted as he turned the corner heading for the school. "Sunnydale's finest are either inept or corrupt. Very few deaths are given more than a cursory glance to say nothing of an investigation. Bodies are usually buried before nightfall." Anakin knew what Giles was implying now that he knew how vampires were created.

"And somehow the people of this town _still_ remain unaware?" Anakin asked, his tone dripping with disbelief.

"Unfortunately," Giles sighed. Anakin shook his head and muttered a curse in Huttese under his breath. They pulled off the main street into a spacious parking lot of a large and open building with a big archway and well trimmed lawn. "Welcome to Sunnydale High school." Giles said.

"A school? This place of learning is where you organize and fight the dark forces that plague this town and threaten to destroy this world?" Anakin asked, exiting the vehicle. He took a long look at the building and the surrounding area with a sense of scrutiny. It wasn't exactly the rebel bases of Hoth or Yarvin IV, but then he really didn't know what to expect. But he was starting to truly grasp the situation he was now in. This group of amateur vigilantes were operating alone, without any form of support from any government or military, in fact they seemed worse off than the Rebels were in the earliest days of the Rebellion.

"I'm afraid so." Giles responded with a bit of a sigh. "It's right this way." Giles lead on into the school and through two main hallways before arriving at the library. The double doors opened without fanfare and Anakin took a moment to get a good look around. The Library was rather small compared to what he was used too, but it suited the school nicely. Off to the right there was a large counter with a computer and filing cabinets, directly opposite of that was a cage with another cabinet, both of which seemed to be locked and very secure. Anakin had a pretty good idea what they were storing in there.

While Giles moved to a nearby office Anakin stepped further into the library; he could see the walkway extended to an oval shaped common area where several heavy wooden tables and chairs resided, beyond that was a small staircase that rose to a upper level that extended around the library, protected by a ray of think wooden banisters. There where stacks of books immaculately placed on shelves in neat order. Giles position as a librarian may have been secondary to his role as a Watcher, but Anakin didn't doubt for a moment that he ran a tight ship. But even so the fact he was looking at books was almost a surreal experience, he had never been on a world that didn't use Datacards or any form of advanced computer technology…even Tatootine didn't use anything so….archaic. Anakin fought to suppress a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Hello again," Oz said with a friendly nod as he came in through the double doors followed by Willow who held several drinks and Xander who appeared to be holding a box of something that smelled as if it had been drowned in sugar.

"Good morning." Anakin bowed slightly. Willow mumbled something inaudible that could have been a greeting while Xander enthusiastically shook his hand.

"Glad to see you made it." Xander smiled.

"A lot about this town has come to my attention that I cannot ignore." Anakin said. Giles peeked his head out his office to note the arrival of the scoobies. "Ah Willow, could you come here for a moment? I need your help with this computer again." Giles said with a tone of mild annoyance.

"Sure thing Giles," Willow responded in a cheerful voice. She looked to Anakin briefly in which her cheerful visage faded somewhat as she moved to Giles's office.

"So I take it the G-man has been filling you in? You know, evil forces of darkness set to unleash hell on us unsuspecting folks?" Xander asked.

"Something like that." Anakin acknowledged.

"He tell you what the Slayer is yet?" Oz asked.

"Mystically empowered girl, one in all the world, a 'chosen one' from a line of potentials to fight the darkness, gifted with enhanced speed, strength, agility, predisposed combat instinct toward armed and unarmed combat, with enhanced constitution and healing abilities. Yes, he filled me in on the way over."

"She's also kind of MIA, which makes it safe to bring in the donuts." Xander muttered, plucking a donut from the box while sipping his coffee. "Care for one? Sugary sweetness guaranteed to put a smile on your face." Xander smiled.

Anakin took one glance and frowned. It looked about as unhealthy as something Obi-Wan would have brought from Dex's old place back on Coruscant. "I'll pass." Xander shrugged and went back to scoffing down his donut then inhale two more, a sight that made Anakin and Oz want to gag.

"Trying to put yourself in diabetic coma?" Oz demanded as he leaned back in his seat. He had just finished his first donut to Xander's three.

"The sugary sweetness of dunkin donuts cannot be denied." Xander insisted emphatically, tearing another bite off with his teeth to make the point.

"I've always been a crispy cream man myself." Oz countered, plucking a jelly filled donut from the box.

"Hey, save some of those for me!" An indignant female cry came from Giles's office.

"Sure thing babe," Oz smiled.

Giles and Willow returned with Willow sitting next to Oz and plucking a donut from the box. Giles sat on the heavy wooden table facing the scoobies.

"So now that we're all here I think we should discuss last night's disaster." Giles said.

"Yeah, I was kinda thinking about that myself." Xander spoke up with a slight rub to the purple shiner surrounding his right eye. "I mean how did we the ambushers become the ambushees? It's definitely not what we planned last night."

"Brilliant observation there Xander," Giles rolled his eyes. "But I think it's become apparent that even as heavily armed we were we were still unable to take on four fledglings."

"Buffy could have done it." Willow countered.

"Yes, but Buffy is the Slayer. Four fledglings would count as very little trouble for her on most nights. There is also the fact that we only expected to take on one fledgling and not four, so surprise did factor into it. But still, I believe four fledglings are a bit much for us to take on in our present state…which puts a clear limit on just what we can expect to be able to do in the absence of Buffy "Giles said.

Oz nodded. "We had trouble taking on just two fledglings three days ago; I'd say that's our limit."Willow and Xander Frowned at him, "we're not trained Demon Hunters you know. We've only been winging it."

"Which just proves how much we need Buffy back here," Xander added. "I mean carrying on the fight is fine and all, but without Buffy here I don't see us keeping up this pace, unless we start packing rocket launchers."

"Which is why I've asked Anakin to join us," Giles said. "He has volunteered to aid us in the battle against the darkness. After what he did for us last night I am inclined to accept his help."

"He's got my vote." Xander held up his hand.

"Me too," Oz seconded the motion. Willow turned to her boyfriend and glared before adding her own opinion. "I don't know... I mean it's just that it's a little fast; it feels like we're replacing Buffy, that we're saying she's not coming back. But she will, I know she will."

It's nothing of the sort Willow." Giles spoke softly and reassuringly. "In fact it's my plan to seek her out and bring her back."

"L.A, right?" Oz asked. Giles nodded.

"Proverbial needle in a haystack" Xander supplied sullenly.

"Yes, well that plan has been put on hold for the time being until we can get Anakin settled. Xander I may need your help with that."

"Me?" Xander asked, seeming to perk up at this. "What can I do?"

"Anakin has told me an admittedly astonishing tale of his origins, but his knowledge of American culture...or any culture on this planet for that matter is well, nonexistent. Which is why I want you to act as our liaison, so to speak," The scoobies shared a confused look at this statement.

"Can you run that one by us again please?" Xander asked. Giles took off his glasses and motioned Anakin forward. Anakin nodded and moved forward, having up to this point staying in the back ground. He told them much of what he had told Giles earlier that morning, about being born as slave, his rescue by the Jedi, and eventually becoming one himself. He went on to mention the Clone Wars, the fall of the Republic and the Jedi order, the rise of the Empire and his eventual death, only to awaken in Sunnydale in the hour of their great need. By the time he had finished his tale almost two hours had passed, of course like earlier with Giles he made sure to omit certain facts.

"Wow" Oz said, in a tone that passed for amazement for the taciturn musician. The others nodded numbly.

"That's the Hellmouth for you." Xander sighed.

"The Hellmouth doesn't typically drop guardian angels into our lap." Oz reminded him.

"Yeah," Willow agreed. "I mean it's usually either trying to kill us or, or make our lives really miserable... kinda like it is right now." The others looked to her. "I mean no Buffy is a bad thing, and we got beat up last night, hence the badness."

_This Buffy must be a truly extraordinary person for her friends to have such strong feelings for her _Anakin silently reflected_._ He could feel the longing and great sadness that radiated though the Force almost every time this 'Slayer' was brought up.

Anakin could sympathize with them concerning their lost friend…after all, he had just lost his _Son _barely minutes after they had found each other…

"So how is Anakin supposed to fill in then?" Willow asked,snapping his attentionbackto the conversation. "I mean no offense or anything, but you did take those vampires by surprise, how do we know you just didn't get lucky?"

"Luck had nothing to do with it." Anakin answered with a confident almost predatory smile.

"Oh, good enough for me..." Willow answered meekly.

"I understand your patrolling tonight, correct?" Anakin asked.

"Yup, near Kingman's cemetery then working our way towards Pikeman Street and then finishing off near Mercy's grace cemetery."

"That's a rather large bit of ground to cover." Giles mused.

"Read the paper this morning before picking up Willow and Xander," Oz related, "Two more unclaimed bodies to be buried at Kingman's and one more at Mercy's."

"Gonna be an interesting night tonight." Xander said. He rubbed a tired hand over his face and Anakin could clearly see the young man had not gotten enough sleep the previous night. He'd also suffered the worst beating of the four, yet Anakin could feel his resolve unwavering. It spoke highly of his dedication to this fight. _Courage and dedication, two traits a Jedi Knight must poses to be a truly effective weapon against the darkness..._

"So, you're coming with us, right?" Xander asked. Anakin gave Xander an assessing gaze before nodding his accent. "Good, cause I'd feel a whole lot better with you around," Seeing that his fellow scoobies were eyeing him curiously. "Well, it's not to say that we don't kick major evil butt on our own, it's just that we'd do better with the terminator watching our backs-."

The double doors slammed opened at that moment, causing everyone in the room to jump.

"Sorry I'm late, but I had a hair appointment that I just couldn't miss" a tall, young, and well dressed woman with long brown hair declared as she all but stormed into the library with all the subtlety of an AT-AT, coming up short at his presence and giving him a look he would have described as 'appreciative', before turning to face the others. "So what did I miss? And who's _this_?"

Xander stood up to greet his girlfriend and gave her a quick kiss on the lips which she returned before Xander motioned to Anakin. "Cordelia Chase, meet Anakin Skywalker."

"Hi, so how did you get suckered into the band of weirdoes over here?" Cordelia asked bluntly.

"He rescued us." Oz stated in a matter of fact way.

"What? I thought you guys were supposed to be good at this sort of thing by now?" Cordelia asked, turning to look at Xander. "Is that how you got that...?" She trailed off; grimacing as she pointed to Xander's right eye.

"Got tagged by a vamp last night, it's nothing Cordy." Cordelia looked him over in slight concern before nodding in acceptance.

"Just remember you're not Buffy, you don't heal as fast as she does."

Anakin had a strong suspicion that was about all Xander would get as far as sympathy from Cordelia Chase, and he suppressed a smile at the interplay before she turned again to face him**.**

"So what kind of special powers do you have?" Cordelia asked. She pulled out of Xander's embrace and stood facing Anakin head-on. "Practically everyone in the Scooby gang here has their own special power; it's like a signature really. For instance Oz over there is a werewolf." Cordelia said, as she pointed to Oz who just shrugged. "Willow's a real witch." Willow didn't know whether to smile or look insulted at Cordelia's comment. "Giles has half the knowledge of the occult in his head and the other half in these books." Giles smiled thinly. "Buffy is the Slayer, but she's sorta taking a sabbatical right now. Xander...." Cordelia stopped in mid-sentence to look her boyfriend over with a smirk, "Well he has a gift for being a vampire punching bag."

"Don't forget good looks and razor sharp wit." Xander smiled.

"Riiiight...." Cordelia scoffed with a roll of her eyes. "So that brings me back to you. What can you do?"

"I am trained in the ways of the Force." Anakin said.

Cordelia turned to face Giles "Where do you _get_ these guys?"

"Anakin is something of a mystery to us." Giles began, "The tale of his origins would no doubt bore you to death, but needless to say he is quite a capable warrior."

"With an _interesting_ sense of fashion," Cordelia added, earning Anakin's admiration for the sheer volume of sarcasm she managed to fit into that one word**,** as she studied Anakin's uniform. "No offense or anything, but if you keep wearing that around here you're going to get noticed by someone eventually."

"Cordy does bring up a good point, albeit with her usual sense of tact and subtlety." Xander agreed. "Your uniform isn't exactly inconspicuous. We need to get you some cloths to blend in better."

"What's wrong with this?" Anakin asked fingering the brown robe over the dark Jedi starfighter uniform.

"_Everything_!" Cordelia sighed. "Where did you get that getup anyway?"

"Coruscant." Anakin answered.

"Is that like French or something?"

"No, it's-"

"You know what, I don't want to know," Cordelia said holding up her hands. "Obviously you need _my_ help, if you're going to blend in around here. I have better fashion sense then everyone in this room. God forbid I let Xander dress you." Of course, what Cordelia meant to say was that she had better fashion sense then everyone in the room _combined_…but needless to say the message was received loud and clear by everyone, anyway.

Xander looked at the cloths he was wearing. "What's wrong with these?"

"With those cloths?" Cordelia smiled. "Nothing, if you remember I picked that out for you, but I'll not have you murder this man's new wardrobe with your _appalling_ sense of fashion."

"Wardrobe?" Anakin asked with raised eyebrows. To Xander he seemed slightly horrified.

"Of course, my way of saying thank you for saving my boyfriends life, and all that noble stuff you're bound to do. I can easily afford it so don't worry about the money. Besides," Cordelia circled Anakin, intently looking him over. "You're not bad looking, nice build, and good skin tone. You'd be an easier project then Xander was. I could easily make you look as good as those guys on the cover of GQ. You'd be a pet project of mine."

"Oh...joy..." Willow muttered just loud enough to be heard.

"_You_ could stand to gain a lot by just listening to even a few of the fashion tips I gave you." Cordelia snapped in response. Cordelia was on a roll now Xander saw, and there wasn't anything this side of an apocalypse that was going to stop her once she got into 'project mode'. Xander knew this first hand, as Cordelia had thrown out most of his wardrobe to replace it with stuff she viewed as 'acceptable'. It had been part of the pre-requisites she had demanded before they began to date openly.

"It's really not nessi-" Anakin tried to protest, picking up the dawning sense of horror and dark amusement from the people around him and correctly guessing its source…

"-Of course it is." Cordelia interrupted. "Now come on, this could take like... all day."

"All day?" Anakin asked. Once again the horrified expression returned.

"Xander, you better go with him." Giles muttered to Xander quietly. Xander look like he'd rather jump on a grenade instead.

"Are you serious?" Xander pleaded. Giles's level stare answered that question for him. "Fine, I'll go." Xander said in surrender. He managed to catch up to Cordelia as she practically dragged a confused looking Anakin out the double doors before the trio disappeared from sight.

"Well, that went well." Willow deadpanned.

"I think Cordy took to the new guy." Oz said in amusement.

"Poor fellow, I don't envy him. But at least that solves one minor problem on our agenda." Giles said.

"I think that's our cue to skidoo." Oz said. "Hey Giles, what kind of weapons should be pack for patrol tonight?"

"Xander will no doubt want his Ax, and I'm assuming you want the crossbow again?" Oz nodded. "I'll take my rapier. As for Anakin..." Giles stopped in consideration then moved to the cage. He unlocked the cage, then the weapons cabinet, and looked inside. "Hmmm...I'm not quite sure what his preferred weapon of choice is, what do you think Oz, Willow?"

"What's this?" Oz asked, as he grabbed a Katana."I've never seen this in here before." The blade was one of two Katana's Giles had recently acquired and was adorned with a white Ivory hilt and solid rounded hand guard, suggesting a Katana akin to the Samurai variant. Pulling the blade from the scabbard Oz nodded in appreciation as the light reflected from the almost perfect sheen of the blade.

"Ah yes, I acquired those a few days ago, I've been trying to expand our somewhat limited arsenal. You like?" Giles asked.

Oz held the blade to test its balance and nodded. For some reason he couldn't understand, he knew it would fit Anakin. Not perfectly, but it was close enough for what they had. For the briefest moment an image of a silver cylinder with a blue shimmering blade flashed in Oz's mind before just as quickly it vanished. _Odd_. "Should work," He put the blade back in the scabbard, then handed it back to Giles.

"And if it doesn't he can always choose something else next time we patrol. Assuming he's with us the next time we patrol." Willow added.

"And you Willow?" Giles asked. He locked the weapons cabinet and glanced her way.

"Oh no, I'm fine, got my magic." Willow declined.

"Didn't help you last night babe," Oz countered.

"I'll do better tonight." Willow insisted, but Oz didn't look convinced. "Really, I will, I promise."

"Ok." Oz nodded, he looked ready to argue further, but he let the matter drop.

"So, what time are we meeting up for tonight's patrol?" Willow asked.

Giles checked his watch and frowned. "About five thirty I would say. It should give us a little time to make any last minute changes, if we need too."

Ok, we'll see you then Giles." Willow said, she and Oz left the library. Giles watched them go before heading back into his office. He needed to get started on his latest report to the Council on the developing situation with Buffy; unfortunately there wasn't much to report in that regard.

The Council had been adamant that she be found, a conclusion Giles had already reached days ago. As he finished his report on the secure terminal in his office, which had nothing to do with Librarian work, Giles added a special note of interest concerning their new Jedi Knight, his name and displayed abilities. Giles however did not add his suspicions about Anakin's past; Giles could relate how such a thing was Anakin's business and not the Councils. He requested any and all resources be forwarded to him regarding anything concerning 'The Force' or any sort of magic of similar note. Taking a good look over his work with a meticulous eye before nodding in approval, he sent off his report. Looking to the wall clock in his office he noted that it was almost one in the afternoon. Time for lunch Giles thought, as he closed down the terminal and locked up the Library until tonight's patrol.


	4. Chapter 3 A New Sheriff in Town

**Chapter 3: A New Sheriff in Town**

**The Sunnydale Mall**

They had been shopping for what seemed like an eternity to both Xander and Anakin. But try as they might Cordelia was relentless as she was demanding. And only _she_ would determine when they were done. They had gone from store to store in the Mall with Cordelia only choosing the best and latest fashion, less her reputation be tarnished. It was a sight to behold as Cordelia was truly in her element. They had been talking the entire time, with Cordelia and Xander both asking questions about where Anakin was from and what it was like. He did his best to answer their questions truthfully and related what he could about his life. But it became apparent there were things he was uncomfortable talking about. Anakin on the other hand, had many questions about Sunnydale and life on the Hellmouth as well as questions about Buffy and the Slayers. They answered as well as they were comfortable with, bringing Anakin up to speed on recent events over lunch. After finishing their meal they set out again to do yet more shopping.

"No, no, no! Not that one the blue one!" Cordelia snapped. Xander sighed and put the shirt down then grabbed a blue one of the same type, then handed it to Anakin behind the privacy screen. The sight was all too familiar to him as only a few weeks ago Cordy had put him through the same torture.

"How does it look?" Cordelia asked excitedly.

"Ok, I guess." Anakin replied, unsure what the right response should be.

"Well, come out here and let's take a look." Cordelia replied. Anakin complied and stepped out. He was wearing a blue silk shirt with black slacks and matching shoes.

"Niiiiice," Cordelia said, with a beaming smile. Looking from the changing room to the main store Anakin noted several women eyeing him appreciatively.

"How does it feel?"

"Feels good," Anakin replied, as he adjusted the shirt.

"I thought it would." She smiled triumphantly, and gesturing for the shop assistant who went to fetch the shirts Cordelia had indicated. She definitely seemed to know what she was doing. They had gone through sportswear; choosing clothing that would work best when it came to patrolling the streets of Sunnydale, heavy durable fabrics that were surprisingly comfortable yet fashionable and most critically, gave him complete freedom of motion. Cordelia had insisted that if he was going to be some vampire killing Demon Hunter, he might as well look good while doing it. He didn't try to argue, for no argument he could come up with would seem to sway the force of nature that was Cordelia Chase.

A couple of times towards the beginning of the session, he had in vain looked for aid from Xander, but from the resigned look in the younger mans eyes he had soon realized there would be no help from that quarter. As outfits were put together for him with obvious skill and experience, Anakin had given in.

They had gone through casual wear, shoes, cologne, T-Shirts and underwear. She even went so far as to select his toiletries, including a tooth brush and tooth paste, body wash and shampoo. Cordelia had even picked out his razor set with Shaving cream and aftershave that would both smell nice and wouldn't cause razor bumps. Cordelia had thought of everything. Now they were up in formal wear.

The last item in the basket had brought back painful memories, though he'd managed to hide it. On their honeymoon, Padme had presented him with a beautifully ornate shaving set, which had belonged to her uncle. As he stood patiently, while a shop assistant held up white shirts in front of him for Cordelia's appraisal, he wondered absently what had happened to it, presumably destroyed in the destruction of the temple. Like so much else.

"No, I think we should stick with the wing collar," Said Cordelia decisively "Tab collars may be all the rage these days, but old is best. They're far more stylist, and they're easier to use." Cordelia smiled. "Take that away", she gestured to the shop assistant, pointing to the rejected shirts, "We'll have three of these, and I expect them to be properly wrapped, no creases or marks."

"I think that's everything," Cordelia mused. "You still need a cumber bun, tie and cufflinks but they do these best at Savilles, we can do that tomorrow."

Thank the Living Force for small mercies, Anakin thought.

"Miss. Chase?" One of the store Managers stopped outside the doorway and smiled politely.

"Uhhhg, Cordelia! How many times do I have to you people, its Cordelia! Do I look old and wrinkly to you?" But before she could give the suddenly flustered store manager time to respond Cordelia turned her attention to Xander. "I don't have any wrinkles do I?"

"None that I can see," Xander smiled. "But then again, I need to do a more detailed examination." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"In your dreams Harris!" Cordelia snapped, but her eyes held a glint of playfulness in them. She turned her attention back to the store manager with a hint of irritation. "You wanted something?"

"Ah yes Miss. Cha-Miss. Cordelia, What are we to do with these?" He held up the dark brown robe and Jedi Starfighter uniform.

"What fabric is that?" Cordelia asked Anakin.

"I'm not certain."

"Send it to the dry cleaners, put it on my bill." Cordelia ordered.

"Yes Miss. Cordelia," The manager left.

"Keep that on, you look good in it, at least until you go out on patrol. Anyway, it's already paid for." She informed Anakin, and then looked to her boyfriend with a serious expression on her face. "Xander please put these in the car; I need to talk to our new friend, in private." Cordelia smiled genuinely to Xander, but her voice had an undercurrent of tension in it.

"Sure..." Xander answered hesitantly. He took the bags giving Cordelia a curious look. Cordelia for her part smiled thinly and nodded assuringly. Xander shrugged and left for the car.

"Walk with me." Cordelia said, and her tone brokered no dissent. Anakin put the suit coat on then fell into step beside her as they left the store, walking through the long halls of the Sunnydale Mall.

"I want to make one thing abundantly clear. Xander has done a lot for me and whether or not he knows it, I do care for him in my own way. That being said, I do not want some guy with a guilt ridden conscience putting his life needlessly in danger. It's bad enough already that Buffy does that."

"What makes you think that I-"

"I'm not finished." Cordelia snapped, cutting Anakin off. "I see the way Xander acts around you, he tries to be subtle, but subtlety is not one of Xander's strong points. He practically hero worships you, _already,_ which means you must have done something seriously impressive, and Xander doesn't impress easily."

"I-"

"I know, you saved his life, and probably did it in some super powered way." Cordelia guessed accurately. "But I could care less." Cordelia said. They walked in silent tension for several moments before a thought occurred to Anakin.

"How did you know?" Anakin asked.

"About your past?" Cordelia asked. Anakin nodded.

"It's your eyes. They're the eyes of a tortured soul. Someone who's done something or a lot of something's they wished they hadn't. For some reason I'm going to guess the latter." Anakin swallowed heavily and looked very uncomfortable.

"I thought as much. I've seen that look in Angel's eyes enough to know it, and to a lesser extent Giles." Cordelia continued. "It's something a woman picks up on if she has half a brain and your guilty conscience practically has a neon sign advertising your soul. Despite putting on the appearance of a shallow bimbo, I'm not stupid. Your past is no business of mine and truthfully I don't want to know.

Cordelia sighed. "Look…I'm not really good at this sort of thing, but welcome to Sunnydale…just…don't make us regret it, ok?

The passion and sincerity of her words for some reason was surprisingly comforting. It only reinforced the opinion he had reached about the 'Scoobies' as being just and true people, at least so far. Still, they were making a great effort for him to feel welcomed and accepted, even though more time was needed until they could truly begin to trust each other, and that act of reaching out to him, a complete stranger, spoke more of their character then their words.

It was something Anakin was looking forward to, a new life, a fresh start, a quest for his redemption, and just maybe some good people who could help him along the way. He would not let them down, not like he had Master Obi-Wan, not like he had Padme and so many others. He would not travel down that dark road again; he would not let himself down.

"I'll do my best to protect them." Anakin pledged.

"You're going to be doing more than that, I'm sure." Cordelia pressed on.

"I don't understand."Anakin replied.

"You see, it's not just the way Xander has been looking at you, but I've also noticed the way you've been looking at Xander. And don't try to deny it." Anakin said nothing.

"Xander's done something hasn't he? Something that's perked your interest in him," Cordelia asked, and then a horrifying thought struck her. "You're not gay are you!?"

Anakin raised his eyebrows in amusement. "No."

"Oh, good," Cordelia sighed in relief then her face turned serious again. "So what is it then? It's like you've been assessing him for something. So what's he done?"

Anakin couldn't lie to her. "The Force is strong with him, very strong."

"I won't even pretend that I was paying attention to half of what you were saying back there." Cordelia said.

Anakin shook his head in amusement, He had never met quite anyone as bluntly direct as Cordelia Chase, and the woman sure had a way of getting to the heart of the matter. But she did mention something that made Anakin a bit uneasy, she had noticed that he was studying Xander intently, even when he hadn't realized he was actually doing it. Thinking back, Anakin was forced to admit that he _had_ been studying Xander in the brief time he'd known him. But for what, why had Xander perked his curiosity? Searching his own feelings, Anakin was forced to make a painful admission, that if Xander, as strongly as the Force was with him, had he been living during his time as Vader, he would have made young Xander Harris his secret apprentice by any means necessary. But now? Anakin didn't know.

It was the will of the Force in finding both Xander and Oz, that much was clear, but training them, so soon? No, he wasn't ready, not yet. He was still too unsure about a great many things and he needed time to truly grasp his new reality. There was still so much about this strange world he didn't know, and to take an apprentice so soon, he knew, would be a bad idea. He would meditate on the matter and inspect it from every angle possible before making a decision, rushing into this would only lead to disaster for all involved. That was all he could really do for now.

"What's with the grimacing face, you're not constipated are you?" Cordelia asked.

"Just thinking," Anakin answered evenly.

Cordelia pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh great, First we had tall, dark and broody, now we have tall, blonde and moody."

Anakin laughed. "It's nothing."

Cordelia gave him a skeptical look "Right, just don't go all psycho on us, please. The last time that happened was _so_ not fun." Cordelia gave him a more thoughtful look. "So, going to be spending more time in Sunnydale?"

"Yes. From my understanding this place is left undefended with its champion gone. I was once a Jedi Knight, and even though I am no longer with the Order, I can't turn my back and allow evil to go unchallenged. It's not the Jedi way...." Anakin trailed off, his voice wavering slightly.

"Well, good luck with that, I mean it. Because in this town you _are_ going to need it," Cordelia said.

"Thank you." Anakin said with genuine gratitude.

"Think nothing of it. Well, that covers everything I wanted to talk about. I think we've come to understand each other, don't you?" Cordelia stated. Anakin nodded, he was starting to see why Xander would latch onto this woman.

"We do." Anakin confirmed.

"Good." Cordelia said. Her face brightened noticeably as she noticed Xander making his way towards them from the other end of the mall. "Just one more thing; I meant it when I said that the cloths were my way of saying thank you. They're also my way of asking you to make sure you take care of him." She gave Anakin a penetrating glare. "Don't make me regret it, and don't tell anyone we had this conversation." Without waiting for an acknowledgement Cordelia turned to Xander and beamed her million watt smile.

"Hey I've been looking everywhere for you." Xander said, as he came up. Cordelia slipped easily into his arms and gave him a long passionate Kiss. When they broke for air Xander was looking at Cordelia with his trademark lopsided grin.

"I'm sorry, were you saying that you were happy to see me? I don't think I understood you correctly. Could you repeat that again please?"

"Later." Cordelia smiled into his face. It was a rare sight to see her act so affectionate with him in public that Xander didn't question as to what brought it out. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they left for the car, keeping a light conversation of Xander trying to explain the fine art of eating Twinkies to Anakin.

-------------------

After dropping his clothes off and changing into something more appropriate for slaying they proceeded to Xander's house to pickup supplies for tonight's patrol. The house itself looked similar to every house he'd seen in the neighborhood, though the grass seemed to be overgrown and the garbage was overflowing from the trashcans. But despite the appearance, there was just something about the place that made Anakin uneasy. As Anakin and Xander got out of the car Cordelia remained behind and didn't appear to be making any attempt to join them.

"Aren't you coming?" Anakin asked.

"Not on your life." Cordelia said firmly. She gripped the steering wheel of her car tightly.

"What's wrong?" Anakin asked.

"You'll find out." Cordelia said, she turned to Xander, "Please be quick." She smiled sympathetically.

Xander nodded and moved up to the house with Anakin a step behind him. "What's that about?" Anakin asked.

"Look, my parents aren't exactly known for their kind words or hospitality." Xander replied delicately. "Just please don't kill my dad, even if he tries to provoke you."

Anakin's features darkened, he didn't like the sound of this at all. He turned to look at Cordelia, but once he made eye contact she looked away. Anakin didn't need the Force to tell him something was very wrong here.

Turning back, Anakin followed Xander as he opened the door to the house and stepped in. The first thing that hit him was the smell; it was the stench of alcohol that almost made Anakin rock back on his heels. . He had been in a few Cantinas and Tap Cafés across the Galaxy that smelled worse, but not _that _many**.** Looking around, he could see the house was surprisingly clean and orderly but had a few boxes of pizza and beer bottles collecting in the living room.

"Hey you dumb shit! Where the hell have you been!? A voice bellowed nearby. Turning, Anakin suppressed a scowl at the fat and balding figure storming towards them from the nearby kitchen with a beer bottle in his hand. He was quite clearly drunk.

"Been out with some friends," Xander replied in a strained voice.

"Who the Fuck is this? I don't remember seeing him before." Tony Harris said, jabbing a finger at Anakin. Anakin didn't so much as back away a step.

"He's a new friend of mine; I've been showing him around Sunnydale." Xander explained.

"Who the hell wants to be friends with a piece of shit like you? You're a screw up and a disappointment. You ain't worth nothing boy!" Tony slurred.

"Thanks for the inspiring speech Tony. Really, talking to you always brightens my day." Xander quipped with a false smile. But Anakin could feel how he truly felt.

Tony slapped Xander hard across his head. "Don't you get smart with me, boy!" Tony yelled. He reeled back to deliver a punch, but another hand gripped him at the wrist and held him firm.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Anakin replied darkly. Tony tried to pull his arm free from the strangers grip, but no matter how hard he tried it was to no avail. Slowly the fog of his drunken rage cleared somewhat and Tony Harris relaxed allowing Anakin to release him.

"You're not welcome in my house." Tony said in clear false bravado.

"Then I'll be sure to leave when we finish our business here." Anakin raised his chin and stared Tony directly in the eyes.

"Fine! Get what you need and get out." Tony huffed as he hurried past the two into the nearby living room. He sat down on the couch and pulled out a remote and began flicking the channels.

"Let's not keep Cordelia waiting." Anakin gently prompted Xander, shaking him out of his frozen state.

"Right," Xander replied. The two moved up the stairs towards Xander's room. Xander immediately went to his closet and pulled out a large chest.

"Look, I'm sorry about that down there." Xander began. "He's usually not that bad, but it looks like he started hitting the booze real early today."

"Do not apologize for him. You did nothing to deserve that kind of treatment." Anakin moved to look out the window, his face unreadable, but his eyes held the only hint of the raging current of emotion within him. "No father should ever treat their child in such a manner. Unfortunately I feel as if I may have made things worse. He may well take out his frustrations on you for the way I embarrassed him."

"I doubt it." Xander replied, and Xander couldn't hide the edge of bitterness in his voice from him, despite his best efforts. "He'll probably be passed out by the time we get back and he won't remember a thing by tomorrow, well, usually he doesn't. So let's not make a big deal about it."

"As you wish," Anakin nodded.

Xander unlocked and opened the chest allowing both of them to look inside and take what they needed.

"Planning on taking down the entire vampire population of Sunnydale yourself?" Anakin asked. Inside there were over three dozen stakes, ten bottles of holy water and about half a dozen crosses with an assortment of flares, chem. lights and flashlights and a few walkie talkies that Xander pointed out to him.

"Not really." Xander smiled thinly. "Let's just say that at the rate we go through stakes and holy water this little stockpile ol mine might last us two months at best." They grabbed what they needed and quickly left in silence. No words needed to be spoken.

-----------------

The double doors of the library opened allowing Anakin, Cordelia and Xander entrance; all three were quick to note the presence of Giles, Willow and Oz standing around one of the heavy wooden tables with an assortment of weaponry.

"Got the supplies Giles" Xander said by way of greeting his fellow scoobs. He moved to the table and set down a dozen stakes, three bottles of holy water and two crosses.

"Good work on the stakes Xander." Giles stated. He picked up one of the stakes and inspected it, thoroughly nodding in approval.

Xander shrugged "I was stocking up during Angelus's rampage, figured we'd need them, I got a ton more back home so we should have enough to last us a while."

Giles nodded succinctly "Good thinking."

Oz looked up and winced slightly in remembrance before he finished placing the reloads for the crossbow into his leather satchel. Next in went the map of Sunnydale they were using, which had a highlighted section of their chosen patrol route, and thanks to a little digging online by Willow, the information where the two suspected fledglings were buried. Once he finished that he grabbed the Katana and handed it to Anakin, "I Thought you might like this."

Anakin took the weapon from Oz and studied it intently. Removing the blade from the scabbard Anakin inspected it with a meticulous eye and barely suppressed a frown. It wasn't a Lightsaber or even a viroblade, but for the time being it would do, at least until he could assemble components to build a Lightsaber. That of course was assuming this world was advanced enough to actually have the components he needed to build one. Still, that was something to consider for the future and all he could do was to trust in the Force.

Taking a test swing of the blade it took Anakin several minutes before he adjusted for the weight of the blade. After all he'd been used to dealing with massless Lightsabers; a bladed weapon was quite a bit different. Finally he nodded in apparent approval as he adjusted to the weight and balance of the blade, both of which were excellent.

"It'll do." Anakin nodded. He placed the blade back in the scabbard then bowed slightly to Oz. "Thank you."

"No problem, man". Oz nodded, then went back to work on their supplies.

"I'm going with good ol' Cleaver." Xander smiled. He held the ax firmly and took a defensive position against an imaginary foe. "Me and this ax have some good history together."

"Isn't that Buffy's ax?" Cordelia asked.

"Only in name, Buffy told me she was seriously impressed with the way I used it, like it was an extension of my own body." Xander smiled.

"You mean the parts that get thrown around like a rag doll?" Cordelia scoffed.

"Keep the gloves up Cordy." Xander smiled. "Anyway, Buffy hasn't mentioned anything to me about it."

"Meaning you forgot to give it back." Cordelia said.

"No I didn't." Xander said defensively.

"Of course you did Xander." Willow added. "Buffy asked you to give it back two weeks ago."

"Yes, and it somehow found itself hidden in the armory instead of Buffy's house where it belongs." Giles added in an amused tone as he picked up his Rapier. "Especially after Buffy insisted you were to give it back. Funny that."

"I am shocked and offended that you would even think I would use such nefarious means to acquire her ax, besides, I have no doubt the Buffster would have come around and realized how much me and this ax were meant for each other." Xander smiled.

Oz looked up "Keep telling yourself that, man"

Xander let out a long dramatic sigh "I get no love."

"I believe we should be off." Giles said, "It's almost six pm and the sun should be set by the time we arrive at Kingman's. Cordelia, thank you for everything you've done today."

"You can thank me later, I'm going with you." Cordelia said without missing a beat

"I beg your pardon?" Giles stopped short.

"I'm going with." Cordelia stated as if the matter had already been settled. "I want to know if my investment in our new friend was worth it."

"Cordelia you're not really a fighter." Willow said.

"And what are you, Wonder Woman?" Cordelia snapped.

Xander moved to Cordelias side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want you to go, it's too dangerous."

"Wow, I wonder where I've heard that one before, Xander." Cordelia said as she shrugged off his touch "But I'm going and that's final."

Xander took a deep breath and let it out slowly "I don't suppose I could change your mind, can I?"

"Nope, besides, now you get a taste of what Buffy has to go through whenever she asks you to stay out of things." Cordelia said. Xander looked to Giles for support, but the Watcher merely gave him a resigned look. When Cordelia made up her mind to do something Xander had learned that she was going to go through with it with or without their support. "Fine, just stay close, Ok?"

"Ok." Cordelia smiled.

"So who's taking lead tonight?" Oz asked.

"Definitely not Xander," Giles snorted.

"Yeah, I mean no offense Xander but soldier guy's tactics didn't exactly work for us last night. I mean we fell right into that trap." Willow added.

"Ok, I might have been a bit overzealous on the attack phase of the plan, instead of making sure the area was clear. But be comforted in the knowledge that I have learned from my mistake." Xander replied.

"Oh yes, I feel that warm fuzzy feeling of comfort enveloping me even now," Giles snarked.

"Your words wound me deeply G-man," Xander replied. He was pretty sure that would be their response to trying to take charge and use Soldiers guys' tactical expertise again.

"Why don't you take charge Giles?" Willow asked.

"While research, demonology and training Slayers are part of my Watchers expertise, I'm afraid I'm no good in small unit tactics. Sadly with Buffy gone, Xander was our..._expert_ in that department. Giles practically cringed as the word came out of his mouth. Xander rolled his eyes and sighed.

"What about Anakin?" Oz asked. The room went quiet as every set of eyes turned to him."What? He's actually led troops in battle, right?"

"I have." Anakin answered. "During the Clone wars I led several campaigns as well small unit missions with Clone Commandos." He'd also lead the campaign that was steadily chocking the life out of the Rebellion, but he didn't mention that little fact. Of course if he judged their skills and abilities by what he witnessed last night these people were in need of training in the worst kind of way. Not having any radios for effective communications was probably one of the most glaring blunders…not to mention they're sloppy fighting skills and evident inexperience. He sure had his work cut out for him.

"I have no objections, and I'm rather curious to see you in action, Anakin." Giles said.

"Me too," Xander added, Oz and Cordelia also nodded. Only Willow didn't speak up and kept her growing unease firmly to herself, at least for the time being. This thing with Anakin was moving way too fast for her. It was as if her fellow scoobies had simply forgotten Buffy and replaced her with the new guy. But Willow had every intention of staying faithful to Buffy and carry the torch in her name until she got back. That wasn't to say she disliked Anakin, it just seemed to her that he was trying to take Buffy's place within the group, and she did _not_ like that one bit. However, even Willow had to admit that Anakin had been extremely helpful to them last night, and who knows, maybe he could teach her some of that cool magic of his, so she'd go along with things for now.

The Scoobies plus Anakin piled into Oz's van and Cordelia's car as they convoyed to St. Mercy's Grace Cemetery. The idea was to leave Oz's van there so that they could simply pile into the van at the end of the patrol then swing back to Kingman's and pick up Cordelias car later, without having to backtrack along their patrol route on foot. Once they reached Kingman's Cemetery, the group conducted final checks of their weapons and supplies then entered the cemetery. They moved in two groups through the cemetery Oz, Xander Cordelia and Willow in the front with Giles and Anakin holding the rear a few meters back. Like the last cemetery the previous night, this one was also poorly lit and had numerous trees and thick bushes, perfect for ambushes.

"Another day another dollar," Xander smiled, "It's time to dust some vamps."

"Gotta find them first, man," Oz pointed out. He had taken the lead as had become the norm for him since he started patrolling with the scoobs. He didn't know why, but it had felt right to him, being out front; the watchman. Something about it just rang true to him, he was the one who would sound the alarm when he detected danger, and thanks to his supped-up wolf senses he usually did before the vamps detected them. It was a small advantage, but a powerful one, one that hopefully would ring true tonight as it had every night since.

"Do you have a contact on radar, captain?" Xander joked. Oz sniffed the air then looked around before shaking his head.

"Sonar?" Xander asked hopefully. Oz gave him a funny look.

"Right" Xander relented, "Just checking."

"God, you're such a spaz!" Cordelia scoffed.

Xander smiled at her. "But I'm your spaz."

"Don't remind me." Cordelia rolled her eyes.

"So where are we supposed to go?" Willow asked. "This cemetery is huge and its one of the oldest in Sunnydale." Oz didn't answer right away instead he dug into the leather satchel and fished out the information Willow had dug up online. Taking a moment to get his bearings Oz looked up then moved off with a slow and cautious pace, the others following along a step behind him.

"So, Willow, I see you're suspiciously unarmed." Xander asked in light tone of voice.

"Uhh huh, been working on a new defensive spell, and I've been improving my floaty pencil trick. Just you wait; I'll be taking out vampires with flying wooden objects in no time!" Willow happily chirped.

"Interesting, since that so would have helped us last night." Xander replied.

"Oh, I sorta got caught off guard, you know, like it was an ambush and I didn't have time to draw on my magic. Then Oz got hurt and I sorta got distracted. Besides, Cordelia doesn't have any weapons on her." Willow deflected. It was actually a good point; Looking to Cordy Xander didn't see any weapons on her.

"Cordy?" Xander asked. "You also appear to be unarmed." Cordelia sighed then pulled two water bottles from her coat pocket and smiled thinly.

"Holy water, that's it?" Xander asked in near disbelief.

An evil smile crossed Cordelias face. "Nope"

"Good thing our new friend showed up when he did, I _really_ don't want a repeat of last night." Xander deadpanned. Looking around Xander had a hard time seeing him or Giles. "Man its dark out here, where are they anyway?"

"About ten meters back, keeping pace." Oz answered without even turning around.

About ten meters back Anakin couldn't help but cringe as they're voices echoed clearly through the crisp clear night. He would definitely need to emphasize how silence while patrolling might be a novel idea…especially when you're hunting something with far keener senses then your own.

"Good thing those wolf senses of yours," Xander said.

"It has its advantages." Oz replied with a nod. They walked in silence for several minutes, a few times along the way Oz would stop and sniff the air or close his eyes and listen to the surrounding area, and each time he would shrug and continue on.

"I miss her." Willow said, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence as they moved ever deeper into the dark cemetery.

Xander immediately knew who she was talking about. "I do too Wills."

"Why did she leave us? Why couldn't she talk to us, to me!? I mean we're supposed to be her friends" Willow continued. Xander said nothing.

"And now here we are patrolling without her. It just feels wrong somehow." Willow said glumly.

"We're in a cemetery on a Friday night, instead of partying at the Bronze, looking for the undead who want to drink our blood and kill us. I can find a dozen things wrong with that." Cordelia snorted.

"You know what I'm talking about Cordelia." Willow snapped.

"What? That our darling little Slayer isn't here with us? That she abandoned us without any good explanation or goodbye?"

"She has issues to work out." Willow defended.

"Whatever." Cordelia scoffed "She still abandoned us."

"No one asked you to come with us, Cordelia." Willow said. Cordelia glared warningly at Willow but her features softened when she glanced at Xander.

"Come on you two, that's enough." Xander interjected. This was a conversation that he really didn't want to have right now. Already it felt as if Cordelia had rubbed salt into an open wound, despite that fact that she had a point, Xander reluctantly had to admit. Despite himself, Xander could feel his anger swelling in him as he thought back to those horrible few weeks of Angelus's hit and run attacks. The constant fear of always looking over their shoulder, knowing that Angelus lurked in the shadows waiting to pick them off one by one, it was only after he threatened to end the world that Buffy _finally_ made the decision to take him down. It ate at Xander that Buffy was willing to put up with Angelus's attacks on her friends, with only the memory of who Angel had been stopping her from plunging a stake into his undead heart. Even then Xander had been second place to the memory of dead boy, and that cut him to the core.

"Are you ok, Xander?" Willow asked with her patented concerned Willow face.

"I'm...fine." Xander stammered. "Let's just not talk about this."

"You'll get no argument from me." Cordelia agreed. Oz looked over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing before returning his attention ahead of him, then frowned. Taking a look at the information Willow had dug up he nodded.

"I think we're here."

"I can't see a thing!" Cordelia complained.

Somewhere in the dark Anakin rolled his eyes and added night vision goggles to the growing list of things they would need.

"Maybe they haven't dug themselves out yet?" Willow supplied hopefully.

"Fat chance of that," Xander snorted. He gripped Cleaver tighter "Oz, do you have anything?" Oz didn't respond, but kept looking around intently with a look that mixed worry and concentration amazingly well. To Xander, It was if something had spooked him, and that was all Xander needed to know. Pulling out his backup stake he handed it to Willow. "Take this, now." He said firmly. Willow gulped, nodded and did as instructed. Cordelia followed suit and pulled out her holy water bottle in one hand while her other hand gripped something in her pocket. She too was starting to look really worried.

"It would so be nice to have our super hero friend right about now." Cordelia hissed.

"Lost him about a minute ago..." Oz murmured absently. He was scanning the area frantically now, something that seemed at odds with his usual cool and taciturn nature.

"Just great," Cordelia said in a strained voice.

Willow gripped the stake tightly to her chest as everyone looked around frantically. Taking a deep breath Willow backed up a step then turned around only to come face to face with glowing yellow eyes and fangs.

"Boo!" The vamp hissed. Willow screeched as she backpedaled away, but tripped and fell to the ground, losing the stake in the process. The others turned at the sound of her scream and momentarily froze with the exception of Oz who snapped up his crossbow and fired, but he was in turn blindsided by another vamp as the bolt flew from the crossbow which caused his shot to go wide. Xander attempted to come to his aid, but as he brought the ax up he was kicked in the chest and sent sprawling on the ground next to Willow, the ax knocked from his grip. Cordelia soon joined them as she was simply overpowered by the first vampire.

Both vampires came up and stood next to each other as they stared down at their soon-to-be meals; the quartet of 'would-be' Vampire hunters taken down in less than five seconds flat.

"We'll eat the two guys first then we'll have some fun with the girls." The second vamp said to his buddy.

"Sounds good to me."

They moved forward to carry out their plan but an unseen force grabbed both vampires and threw them against a nearby crypt. The scoobies had barely registered it before they saw a blur flip over their heads and land in front of them, putting himself between the two vampires and the Scoobies.

"Big mistake," Anakin said in a level voice. The two vampires had barely got to their feet by the time Anakin was on them. The former Jedi Knight Force-leapt into a flip and landed between them, In a flash his sword was out and imbedded in the first vampires stomach, As the vampire screeched from being impaled on his blade Anakin was already on the attack as he lashed out with an elbow to the second vampire. Releasing his grip on his blade Anakin pulled out a stake and held it in a reverse grip then he stabbed the vampire behind him. Moving swiftly, Anakin adjusted his grip on the stake then stabbed the vampire in front of him at the same time he pulled his weapon free.

"Were you using us as bait!? Willow demanded when she got to her feet, the rest of the scoobies not far behind her, although at least their egos were more bruised then their bodies, this time**.**

"No." Anakin said simply."Sound travels further and clearer at night, and when you're making as much noise as you four were I would have been surprised if vampires in the next town hadn't heard you." Anakin sheathed his blade and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh" Willow said meekly. Luckily it was very dark or everyone would have seen her face flush as red as her hair.

At that same moment Giles appeared holding his rapier and huffing as if winded. "Did I miss anything?"

"Man slayer took care of it." Oz said as he grabbed a reload from his satchel and reloaded the crossbow.

"Yeah, once again he saved our butts." Xander smiled as he picked up his fallen ax.

"That was actually pretty impressive; I've never seen Buffy take out two vamps that quick." Cordelia said with evident praise. "Usually she does her punchy, kicky dealy for a few minutes then she stakes them."

"Buffy could have done that if she wanted too." Willow defended Buffy almost automatically, though Xander could hear the slightest trace of doubt in her tone that suggested she wasn't entirely sure.

Anakin grimaced slightly; he wasn't comfortable with being compared to their Slayer friend in such a manner, though a small part of his mind wondered exactly how he would stack up. It's a good thing there were no Slayers in the empire, from everything Anakin had been told about them he could have easily seen a few uses for them by Palpatine.

"Is that all of them?" Giles asked.

"At least from what we got online," Willow said, as she picked up the piece of paper with the information she retrieved online.

"I feel nothing as well, this cemetery is clear." Anakin confirmed.

"How'd you know that?" Cordelia asked.

"The Force," Anakin answered simply.

"Oh, right, forgot about that." Cordelia shrugged.

"Is everyone all right?" Giles asked.

"I'm fine." Willow said

"I'm ok." Cordelia said.

"It feels as if someone tried to cave in my chest, but I should be good." Xander winced slightly. Oz simply shrugged and gave a thumbs up.

"Good." Anakin said. "Let's go."

-------------------------------------------

"Would this be considered a normal patrol?" Anakin asked. After dispatching the two Vampires at Kingman's Cemetery the group proceeded on foot down two side streets and an alley way heading to Pikeman Street. Here Anakin dispatched another Vampire they encountered along the way. It was getting easier for Anakin to pinpoint them; all he had to do was focus on the walking hole in the Force. But the energy of the Hellmouth made even that difficult, in like fog, it obscured his vision with the Force, like the shroud of the Dark side.

"Normal," Xander repeated with a mirthful smile." Speak not your heathen words to thine ears."

"I'm serious." Anakin pressed. His eyes were scanning everywhere while he probed with the Force. The last thing he wanted to deal with was an ambush in these close quarters. The sooner they got to the open streets and out of these back alleys the better.

"More or less," Xander shrugged. "Usually one of us patrols with Buffy to provide backup, kind of like what we're doing now. The Buffster is pretty good with the slayage, so she rarely needs it. But she's usually dusting about two to three vamps a night, most nights."

"Sounds bad," Anakin mused. He hadn't been certain of the level of demonic activity but if what Xander was saying was true then it was pretty high.

"Sunnydale is infested with them. Vamps like that pack of fledglings you dealt with last night are the norm. But there are also demons, master vampires and other things that go bump in the night who like to make their weekly cameo. And they're usually a lot stronger." Xander related. "There was this one demon called the Judge, real nasty guy. He had the ability vaporize people by shooting energy from his hands. His major theme was killing the innocent so the wicked could flourish. Guy was unbelievably strong, stronger then Buffy even. And he had the unfortunate bonus that he couldn't be harmed by 'any weapon forged'. Last time anyone faced him he took out an army of ten thousand by himself."

Anakin would have loved to put the claim to the test with a Lightsaber. "You obviously defeated him." Anakin stated.

"Yeah we did. Long story short, I stole a rocket launcher from a nearby military depot, and then Buffy used it to blast him to little pieces. Seems his magic charms couldn't stop the awesomeness of an AT-4 anti-tank rocket," Xander smiled.

"Ingenious strategy," Anakin praised. "What made you think it would work?"

"The last time anyone had faced him people were using crossbows, bow and arrows and swords, pretty much what we pack in the armoury. I hit on the idea that a more modern weapon that was manufactured and not forged would do the job. It did." Xander said.

"Most impressive." Anakin praised, though internally he wondered why they're weren't using far more modern weapons instead of these archaic relics.

Xander shrugged again."Well, Buffy really deserves all the praise. She's the one who took him down. I just did what I could to help out."

"You seem to have done well enough." Anakin considered. "If even half of what Giles has told me about life here on the Hellmouth is true, it's a credit to your skills that you have survived." Or it was the will of the Force, Anakin was almost certain of it now...well either that or sheer blind luck.

"Look, this is Buffy's thing, she's the Slayer. Me? I'm just the sidekick, and more lately the comic relief. I'm not some mystically powered warrior like she is. I'm no good with magic like Willow is. I don't have super senses like Oz does; thanks to his being a werewolf. And I'd be kidding myself if I were to say I was half as smart as Giles is. This is the best I can do, these are my friends, and I'm just happy that I can help them in any way I can." Xander said.

Loyal, brave and dedicated, those three words summed up Xander Harris in Anakin's opinion, but the boy had no confidence in himself. He'd felt it earlier when he heard the sorry excuse for a father publically berate Xander for no good reason, and he felt it now; buried under his love and dedication for his friends, but it was there all the same and that was a problem. It was the first aspect of his personality that Anakin didn't approve of.

The discussion would have probably continued, that is until Anakin felt a slight tremor from Oz. Looking to the young werewolf-_he really needed to know what that was all about_- he saw that Oz had stopped and was scanning their immediate area in alarm. Moving swiftly Anakin crossed the distance to Oz in a heartbeat.

"What is it?" Anakin asked.

"Blood" Oz murmured. His nose crinkled slightly as he took in a deep breath.

"Are you sure, Oz?" Willow asked. Her wide eyes and tight grip on her skirt more than enough to betray her fear.

"Yup" Oz answered.

"We're packed too tightly here in this alley way, no real room to manoeuvre. I think we need to get to the open streets" Xander said quickly. Anakin nodded, he'd been thinking the exact same thing. They picked up their pace with Oz once again taking point and Xander moving close to support him. Willow and Cordelia moved to the centre of their group while Anakin and Giles brought up the rear. Within the space of a few minutes they exited the alley.

"Pikeman Street!?" Cordelia hissed. "Are you nuts or something? This street's already bad enough during the day with all the drug dealers and stuff!" Turning an accusing glare to her boyfriend, "And whose brilliant idea was it to patrol here?" Pikeman Street was perhaps one of Sunnydale's seediest areas, it was a street with numerous run down and several abandoned apartments and homes in its residential area. The street led into the cities industrial district and from there the Sunnydale harbour. Poor illumination made it a prime Vampire hunting ground as only half the street lights worked and even then only half of those worked adequately. It only added to the feel of a dark and foreboding part of town. When she first started slaying in Sunnydale, Buffy once made a comment that if she were ever in the mood for some serious slaying Pikeman street was where to find it. It was a comment her fellow scoobies remembered well.

"That would be me" Oz answered.

Cordelia blinked "Oh...I actually expected something like that from Xander."

"Love you too Cordy." Xander smiled.

Cordelia sighed. "You do realize we don't have a Slayer with us, right?"

Oz threw a thump over his shoulder "Got the man-Slayer here."

"Piece of cake," Xander added. Anakin appreciated their confidence.

Cordelia whispered just loud enough to be heard by everyone. "Just remember I bought your clothes, if anything happens you protect me first."

"Yes, I'm sure Anakin has his priorities in order." Giles said sarcastically. Cordelia beamed her million watt smile.

"Scents getting stronger" Oz warned. The scoobies proceeded cautiously down the street; carefully inspecting everything they could see in the poor illumination. They spread out to cover both sides of the two lane street but it didn't help the fact that almost every alley way for two blocks ended on Pikeman Street. Oz, with his wolf sense of smell could be picking up the scent from anywhere within that radius.

"Any idea where?" Xander asked, grinding his teeth. This was something else that ate at him, knowing he might possibly be too late to make a difference in saving someone's life. Oz stopped in the centre of the street and closed his eyes in concentration. Taking a series of deep inhalations through his nose, Oz turned slowly before opening his eyes and pointing toward a nearby alley. "Over there."

"Lead on Oz, I'll cover you." Anakin said, he put his hand on the hilt of his Katana and followed Oz. Xander drew his Axe and followed a few steps behind him. Oz moved cautiously into the alley way and froze. Turning deathly pale Oz staggered back a step dropping the crossbow as he did so.

Xander and Anakin moved to his side to see what had happened and froze as well.

"Oh my God..." Xander muttered in horror. His face had a sickly pallor to it.

"What is it?" Willow asked nervously. Moving towards her friends she had a worried look on her face that promptly melted when she saw what they were staring at. There were two bodies both of them children, a boy and a girl. The girl looked to be about nine years of age with dirty blond hair and a blue dress. The boy was younger, no older than five years of age also with short blond hair a brown shirt and blue jeans. From the resemblance they looked to be brother and sister. Both were dead and looked as if they had been drained dry with multiple bit marks on them, the look of stark terror permanently etched on their faces, and in the mind of the scoobies; it was a gruesome sight that made them all sick to their stomachs.

"Oh God no!" Willow whimpered when she saw them. She put a hand to her mouth and cried. Cordelia peeked over her shoulder and made a disgusted sound then she grabbed a distraught Willow, who was crying hysterically and pulled her away. Willow gripped Cordelia tightly and cried, Cordelia tried to calm her as best she could but Willow continued to cry uncontrollably.

"I should...." Oz trailed off as he moved to Willows side. The moment she felt his touch she launched herself into his arms and wept while he hugged her tightly and whispered soothing words into her ear. Giles cautiously moved closer to inspect the bodies while Anakin hadn't as much as moved an inch from the spot.

Xander breathed deeply to suppress his growing rage and barely managed to get it under control when he saw the distraught look on Cordelia's face. Xander moved to her side and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, are you ok?"

"I'll be ok." Cordelia said quietly. "I know stuff like this happens in Sunnydale all the time, but I never wanted to see it, you know?" Xander looked her square in the eyes and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. Cordelia gripped his hand and returned it with a sad but thankful half smile.

While the younger Scoobies were busy consoling each other, Giles was inspecting the bodies and doing his best to maintain his stoic composure. But that was proving to be easier said than done when you considered the victims were innocent children that were the ones butchered. While the scoobies made wisecracks of the various vampires and demons they fought, they never once for a moment forgot that they were fighting true evil. What they had just seen was yet another reminder of that fact.

"Will they turn?" Anakin asked heavily. His eyes never wavered from the boy; a boy whose face was eerily familiar to another young boy who had also been touched by evil.

_*'Master Skywalker, there are too many of them what are we going to do?'*_

Once more he heard the snap-hiss of the saber; saw the flash of the blade, and the crumpled shapes on the floor of the council chamber.

Anakin turned away with a heavy heart, feeling slightly sick.

"I don't believe so." Giles said crouching down beside the bodies. "I don't see any blood around their mouths and vampires usually don't bother with turning children so young."

"You have seen this before?" Anakin asked.

Giles smiled thinly. "In my line of work, more than I care to say," Anakin didn't say anything because he couldn't think of anything he could say to that. Taking another look at the bodies he frowned.

"Where are the parents? Surely no one is fool enough to allow their children out this late at night in this town?" Anakin asked. Giles looked to the four young teenagers still consoling each other before returning his attention back to the children. Sighing, Giles stood and moved away from the bodies toward the others, Anakin following in step.

"Are you all alright?" Giles asked, handing the fallen crossbow back to Oz.

"More or less" Xander replied, his voice thick with emotion. Willow sniffled and wiped her face with her sleeve before pulling out of Oz's embrace. He kissed her softy on the forehead and whispered into her ear, Willow smiled weakly and nodded.

Cordelia also wiped her eyes before facing the others head-on. "I'm..ah..I'm fine, I just..."Cordelia took a deep breath. "I want to get out of here, now."

"What's going to happen to the bodies? I mean we can't leave them here!" Willow squealed.

"I'll place a discreet inquiry to the police, anonymous of course, and hope they investigate. There's not much more we can do." Giles answered.

Anakin moved to the entrance of the alley way and crossed his arms over his chest. The others filed past him without a look; all were tired and emotionally drained by what they had seen with one exception. Anakin focused on the young man and frowned. Making a snap decision Anakin moved next to Xander and spoke quietly "How are you really feeling?"

"I'm fine." Xander answered tersely. Anakin wasn't buying it. Xander's lips were curled into a snarl and his hands were balled into white knuckled fists, in fact his entire body was taunt with tension; like a dam threatening to break at any moment. His feelings of anger and hatred radiated through the Force like a tsunami. Being Force sensitive as Xander was, had he been in a different time and place he would have quickly attracted the wrong kind of attention.

"Be mindful of your feelings Xander they betray you."

Xander shot him an angry glare before turning away. "It's just...it doesn't feel right leaving them there like that."

"You know why we have to leave them, it's difficult to accept but it must be done. There's nothing we can do to help them now, and others might still be in danger." Anakin answered. "Now, tell me, what's really bothering you."

"It feels like we failed." Xander relented. "Maybe if we'd come sooner we might have caught them in the act and saved them. I _know_ you could have done it with ease." Xander closed his eyes and shook his head "If only we'd been here."

"We don't have the power to stop people from dying, much as we'd like too." Anakin smiled sadly. "We are not all powerful. As painful as that is to admit, we must accept it. It is the will of the Force." Xander said nothing but continued to stare straight ahead.

"You're angry." Anakin pressed on. "And you have every right to be. What we just witnessed was evil and it must be stopped, but do not let your anger blind you, Xander. You must learn to control it." Anakin felt like such a hypocrite at that moment but he fought down that feeling. There was a time when he could empathise with exactly how Xander was feeling, but this wasn't about him, this was about Xander and carefully steering him away from the same mistakes Anakin had made.

Xander glanced his way for a moment but said nothing, It was clear to Anakin that he had to try harder to reach him.

"Anger can blind you....it will consume you if you're not careful. If you allow it to take root it'll slowly grow inside you, always at the edge of your perceptions until, without warning, you suddenly realize that a dragon is living in your heart, clamouring for release." Anakin swallowed heavily and took a deep steadying breath to centre himself. "When that point comes you are faced with only two choices. Either face it head on...or allow it to consume you...and become the very darkness you have sworn to destroy. Make the right choice Xander Harris."

_And have the courage to do what I could not__,_ Anakin didn't add.

"Ok I'll..." Xander swallowed heavily "try."

"No." Anakin said firmly. "Do or do not, there is no try." It was only after the words escaped his lips did Anakin realize he had just quoted Master Yoda.

"Ok. I'll...do." Xander said. It was a good first step, Anakin could feel him reeling in his anger somewhat, but he still had a way to go.

"Good." Anakin nodded. _For now_

They walked in silence for about ten minutes when Anakin noticed Oz slow his pace, raise his head and sniffed the air. _By the Living Force__,_ _not again, not tonight!_ Leaving Xander's side Anakin moved closer to Oz. "What do you smell?"

"Blood, again." Oz sniffed again. "And something else. Not sure what it is but it's getting stronger." Anakin stretched out with the Force in the general direction Oz was facing and frowned. Something was there and it was getting closer, and it wasn't alone.

"I'll move Giles up to support you. Be on your guard." Anakin said.

"Haven't been off my guard since..."Oz nodded in the direction they had just come from.

"Of course," Changing mental tracks, he asked "Can you determine where the scent of blood is coming from?"

"It's weaker, but it's like its closer at the same time." Oz shook his head in confusion."Kind of like its right there." Oz pointed to a rundown building that looked like a condemned house, practically concealed by bushes long since overgrown. Anakin probed the house with the Force and recoiled slightly. It felt as if someone's connection to the Living Force was fading and something else was taking hold of the body within. He guessed a Vampire was being sired. And it wasn't alone; Anakin could feel two more Vampires there as well.

"I'll deal with that." Anakin said.

"I'll come with you." Xander said. Anakin nodded and turned to the others. "This won't take long. Be wary, I feel a disturbance in the Force, spread out and prepare yourselves; we're going to have company soon."

"Crap," Cordelia muttered. What little colour she had regained since their horrible discovery of earlier swiftly vanishing. Willow looked at her and nodded emphatically. Anakin and Xander moved off while the scoobies checked their weapons and took up hiding positions in preparation to ambush whatever was on its way.

Sneaking quietly Anakin and Xander managed to sneak up to the obscured front porch of the rundown house. Taking a closer look Xander couldn't help but note the similarities it shared to casa Summers. That was, before you took into account the faded and chipped white paint and wood rot that was settling in on the place. It was the perfect house to use for some sort of B rated horror movie.

Xander kept his attention on Anakin as they moved to the front door, silently drawing his Katana which prompted Xander to draw Cleaver. Anakin made a slight motion with his fingers that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Xander didn't know what Anakin was doing but with a slight click and small creak the door opened slightly. Anakin turned to face him.

"There are two Vampires and one in the process of being turned. Stay behind me." Xander nodded. The door creaked as it opened which Xander was certain to be picked up on by the keen hearing of the Vampires. Squinting, Xander was grateful for what little illumination coming from the nearby streetlight, but even without it his eyes were adjusted well enough to see. Moving into what passed as the living room, Xander's heart sunk at what he saw. A young woman in her late twenties or early thirties on first glance was laid out on the floor. She had sandy blonde hair and the remains of a pink dress that had been ripped and torn in key places. From the bruises and welts on her thighs and arms she had definitely put up a struggle but it hadn't been enough...

A creak in the floorboard above them warned Xander that the Vampires were moving; he gripped Cleaver tightly as anger and fear battled inside him for dominance.

"Now is not the time to give into your anger or fear, without control of your emotions you're no good to me...or her" Anakin said firmly. His voice was like a blast of frozen wind that cut through the furnace burning within him. Xander nodded and took a deep breath to steady himself then brought his weapon up into a defensive stance he'd observed from Buffy.

"Better, remember this Xander, your focus determines your outcome. Try to focus on your opponent. Don't think about what you're going to do, just do. Feel, don't think, and you will be fine." Anakin said. He raised his head slightly to the staircase. "Here they come."

The two Vampires looked on with wicked amusement in their eyes as they slowly walked down the stairs. Slipping into their game faces the two shared a smile at their good fortune.

"I guess Christmas came early this year!" The one to the left said as he stood to face Anakin head-on. The second Vampire moved off to the right to face off against Xander.

"You're going to pay for killing the children and their mother" Anakin stated in voice that was totally cold and devoid of emotion. He brought his Katana in a high guard position over his head, the first offensive stance of his preferred fighting style of Djem-so.

"Awwww." The vampire mocked. "What are you gonna do? Poke me with your lil sword!? Ain't that just too precious for words," The vampire facing Xander just snickered with laughter. As if by some unspoken signal both Vampires attacked. Anakin easily avoided the haymaker by simply cutting off the arm of the vampire with a powerful downward swing; the blade had little trouble cutting through the bone and muscle of the Vampires limb. Anakin didn't even give the Vampire time to stare in bewilderment at the stump that had been its right arm, reversing the stroke with a speed only his Force enhanced muscles could give him to sever the head with a single, controlled, but powerful strike. As the Vampire exploded into dust Anakin turned to observe Xander's fight.

He grimaced at the young man's poor coordination and speed, which was as pathetic as it had been the night previously, but something was different. The boy's attention and focus on his opponent was total, almost dangerously so, but it was making a difference. Xander dodged a hook; jab and roundhouse kick combination, before counter-attacking with a powerful swing at the head of his opponent. He missed, but instead of trying to pull the heavy Axe back toward him, Xander spun with the momentum of the weapon and then lashed out with an elbow which connected with the Vampires nose. The Vampire staggered slightly from the blow, allowing Xander to lash out with a side kick that connected with the Vampires kidney. Although the kick was powerful, it didn't hurt the vamp so much as throw it momentarily off balance. Sensing his opening, Xander brought the Axe up with a powerful swing that cut perfectly through the Vampires neck and imbedded itself into the wall. As the Vampire exploded into dust, Xander pulled the Axe free and moved to stand next to Anakin.

"Well done." Anakin acknowledged.

"A little something I picked up from Buffy." Xander smiled. Looking down, Xander's smile faded in an instant. "What are we going to do with her?"

"Is there nothing that can be done for her?" Anakin asked.

"I don't know and I don't think we have time on our side." Xander said sadly. Anakin was forced to agree with him, He could feel the transformation was almost complete. Sharing a look between them Anakin nodded. "Go outside with the others. I'll finish up here." Xander looked down at the body then back at Anakin. He nodded, turned and left out the front door.

Anakin moved to the head of the Vampire "I'm sorry..." He murmured. Bringing the sword up Anakin finished his business.

**********

Xander hurried swiftly out of the house to linkup with the others and nearly stumbled over Oz.

"You alright, man?" Oz asked.

"I've been better." Xander replied sullenly.

Oz looked at Xander intently. "Bad?"

Xander nodded. "The Mother...she was....they.."

Oz nodded in understanding. "I gotcha," Oz sniffed the air. "Company's here." Xander turned to the open street to see what appeared to be two large and very intimidating looking green demons along with six vampires exit an alley way, heading straight for them.

"This night just keeps getting better and better." Xander moaned. Oz said nothing, but pulled a series of reloads from his pack and placed them on the ground. Taking a knee Oz took aim and readied himself to fire.

Xander gripped his axe tighter in apprehension as the vampire and demons confidently-almost arrogantly crossed the distance. Xander's grip on the Axe tightened to white knuckle intensity until he felt a presence standing next to him. Turning, Xander nearly sighed with relief when he saw Anakin standing with his arms across his chest, looking intently at the oncoming vampires and demons, totally unconcerned.

"So, ahh..no problem, right?" Xander laughed nervously.

"Not for me." Anakin answered evenly.

"Oh, good" Xander nearly sighed with relief.

"You and your friends on the other hand stand a Bantha's chance against a Rancor in a head on confrontation." Oz and Xander shared confused looks; causing Anakin to sigh, "I suggest you withdraw while I cover you." he clarified.

"No way!" Xander spat indignantly. "You fight we fight!"

"I'm kinda liking withdraw right about now, man." Oz interjected. The curiously mixed pack of demons and vampires crossed the street when suddenly three of them broke off from the main group and turned; moving in another direction.

"Not good." Oz grimaced.

"Errr...why?" Xander asked.

"Willow, Giles and Cordelia are over there in ambush, they were going to do that side attack trick you told us about."

"You mean a flanking manoeuvre?" Xander asked.

"Yeah, that" Oz nodded.

"Not anymore." Xander sighed, as the Vampires launched themselves into the shadows. Within moments the sounds of a fierce struggle radiated through the crisp clear night.

"Go and aid your friends, I'll deal with this." Anakin ordered. Both young men nodded with Oz picking up his reloads for the crossbow, before the two young men ran off to aid their fellow scoobies. In that same instant Anakin drew his Katana and with a slow, deliberate but confident stride he strode forward intent on his prey like a krayet dragon locked onto a heard of Bantha. Given his incredible power there were any number of ways he could have ended this fight, but Anakin wanted to test out his new sword in a way that would put it through its paces, and besides he always did prefer more straight forward tactics.

When he was about a foot from one of the two closest Vampires. Anakin decapitated it, moving faster than even its keen senses could track. Just as the second Vampire took in that his friend was nothing more than dust in the wind, Anakin struck him in the chest with a Force enhanced kick that sent him flying into his one surviving companion, both of them stumbling backward a few feet in dazed confusion.

The two Demons at point entered the fray, both attacking at the same time with a flurry of blows. Anakin's Jedi reflexes allowed him to dodge or block every blow in time before he lashed out with a diagonal strike across chest of the lead demon. The razor sharp blade of the Katana only did superficial damage, the force of the blow being largely blocked by the thick organic armour.

Two follow on strikes to that same spot opened the wound a bit more causing a thick green substance to weep from the wound, but the injuries were far from life threatening. It was at moments like this that Anakin really wish he had a Lightsaber, he had no doubt it wouldn't have had any trouble cutting through the demon. Without it, all it did was make this fight a bit more spirited then it otherwise would have been.

All the same, the outcome was inevitable.

The Demons pressed their attack with an even more violent flurry of punches and kicks that put Anakin slightly on the defensive. Realizing he needed to even the odds a little Anakin back flipped to gain some distance then used a Force-push to throw one of the Demons into the two recovering Vampires with staggering force, knocking all three back several feet. They crumpled together into a heap of bodies. Anakin went on the offensive, using his sword to great effect, Anakin used Force-enhanced strength in his attacks on the Demon which finally managed to cut through the tough natural armour.

It staggered back, howling in pain until Anakin's blade connected between the neck and shoulder, causing a geyser of foul fluids to erupt from the wound. The Demons cries increased to fever pitch as Anakin pried his blade free then struck again in the exact same spot. The Demon staggered back for a second them promptly fell to the ground.

The second Demon was the first to detangle itself from the confused mass of bodies caused by Anakin's force thrust, and came on hard, followed by the two Vampires. Filled with rage at the loss of its companion and mate, the Demon charged, launching a brutal attack of clumsy but powerful blows.

Deep In the grip of the Force the former Jedi Knight concentrated on this one moment of conflict with the demon, judging it to be the greater threat. Using a combination of experience and the whisperings of the Force, he accelerated into sudden motion with a grace and ease that matched that of a Slayer, evading or blocking the pulverising blows of the enraged demon. To a bystander it might have seemed as if Anakin was purely concentrating on defence, but in fact his mastery of Djem-so allowed Anakin to channel his defensive moves into offensive strikes, creating openings that he could exploit.

A Vampire charged Anakin attempting to tackle him to the ground, but the former Jedi simply spun out of his path while at the same time grabbing a backup stake from his pocket and plunging perfectly into the Vamps back. Instantly dismissing the Vampire as it turned to dust from his strike, Anakin was already back on the attack against his original opponent before the dust motes dispersed fully in the light breeze.

Griping his sword tightly with both hands, Anakin launched three well placed attacks low, level and high to open up a hole in the Demons defences, before slicing powerfully across the Demons stomach. Alerted by the Force to a potential threat, he rolled sideways using the momentum of his previous strike, ducking neatly under a wild haymaker from the last remaining vampire. Pulling his last stake from his back pocket as he rolled, Anakin smoothly regained his footing, and then threw the stake from a crouching position, the sharp point burying itself with perfect accuracy deep within the chest of the undead demon. The Vampire blinked in surprise, its face momentarily reverting to that of its first victim, before it crumbled into dust with a soft _whoosh_.

The demon, heedless of its previous wounds attacked again, throwing a series of hooks and uppercuts that Anakin dodged easily. Wearing an arrogant smirk that only enraged it further, Anakin gracefully blocked all its attacks, taking the opportunity to practice with his new weapon against a live opponent. Had the Demon been just a bit smarter, or possessed better instincts, it would have realized it was just being toyed with and would have tried to retreat. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on who you were, as the scoobies had quickly pointed out to Anakin, most demons were not renowned for their intelligence.

The Demon attempted to snatch Anakin into a bear hug, but Anakin easily stepped backwards, avoiding the questing arms. The Demon opened its mouth to howl in frustration, but no sound came as Anakin's blade pierced its throat with such force that the blade tip burst through and protruded from the back of its neck. The Demon twitched on Anakin's blade for a few seconds, before Anakin pulled the blade free, allowing the Demon to fall lifelessly to the ground.

"All too easy," Anakin smirked. Turning, Anakin noted with pleasure that the sounds of conflict between the vampires and his allies had ended and from what he could sense with the Force they were all alive and well. Anakin nodded in approval, it seemed his allies had a few skills of their own.

********

"Now, remember Willow, once they move to attack Oz and Xander we will then attack them." Giles whispered as the two demons-Snar'vok demons by the looks of them, along with six vampires advanced upon Xander and Oz. Giles noted with relief that Anakin calmly descended the stairs from the front porch of the house to stand next to Oz and Xander, but it seemed as if the life had been drained out of Xander, making Giles mentally file away a note to talk to the young man about what had transpired in the house. Assuming they survived this encounter.

"Ok, but with what?" Willow asked. In the crisp night and dim illumination, Giles could see her eyes were wide as saucers and she was panting to the point of hyperventilating. In a nutshell she was terrified and Giles couldn't really blame her. The force of demons and vampires making their way toward them would have been enough to give Buffy second thoughts about engaging them, and it was unlikely that even with the Scoobies aiding her the circumstances would have proven much different. In their current situation, well, the circumstances did not look promising.

Snar'vok demons were not to be taken lightly, renowned for being stronger then Slayers with thick natural armor they were incredibly tough and difficult to kill. They were, for all intents and purposes, the perfect brutes. They did however have an Achilles heel, their speed. While they were significantly faster than humans, their speed was nothing as compared with the swiftness of even a decently trained Slayer, let alone a Slayer of Buffy's caliber; a point proven when Buffy took out an entire pack of them earlier last month.

What had Giles concerned however were the vampires travelling with them. Those vampires would be more than enough to make up for any speed shortfalls their demon friends might have, and six of them were enough to cause Buffy some difficulty in their own right; making this group perfectly matched enough to balance out the other side's weaknesses. In short, it was almost the perfect anti-Slayer hunting party, a thought that chilled Giles to the bone with the implications.

"The stakes, Willow, concentrate and use the stakes against the vampires with your levitation ability." Giles instructed in a hushed whisper. Looking more closely to their new ally, Giles noted with growing concern and a hint of suspicion that Anakin seemed completely unconcerned with the approaching force of demons and vampires. While Xander had been practically in awe of Anakin and his abilities, Giles really didn't have anything to compare him too, other than Buffy, who was pretty much the benchmark by which he judged all of her allies and adversaries alike. And if Buffy would have had difficulties dealing with this pack, Giles seriously doubted their new ally would fare any better.

Suddenly three of the vampires broke off from the main group and turned toward them. Giles drew his rapier and stood realizing too late that the wind was blowing in the general direction of the vampires, meaning they must have caught their scent.

Tightening his grip on the rapier "Willow, now would be a good time!" Giles spoke with a sense of urgency in his voice. Willow didn't respond verbally, but a look of intense concentration came over her face as she levitated eight stakes from the ground around her. The stakes wobbled in the air like a damaged plane attempting to remain level, but thankfully none fell. As the vampires increased their pace to a dead sprint the wobble of the stakes increased noticeably.

"Concentrate Willow," Giles soothed in a firm yet comforting voice, it proved successful in keeping Willows concentration focused firmly on the stakes, which, at the moment, was their only real defense. "Not yet....not yet...NOW!" At his shout Willow fired the stakes one at a time at the oncoming vampires. The first two stakes missed clearly, but Willow adjusted her aim and fired again. This time she found her mark; a stake connected with the first vampire in the leg killing his momentum and allowing another stake to strike him in the chest. Unfortunately, the stake missed the heart, but it was enough to knock the vampire out of the fight for a few moments as the fang face rolled on the ground in agony.

Willows second volley produced much the same result, as three stakes struck the second vampire consecutively in the hip, stomach and groin, but no lethal blow was struck. Giles grimaced, reminding himself that they would have to work on Willows aim in the future if they survived this. The third vampire appeared to have been a bit smarter than the previous two, allowing them to take the lead in the charge and soak up Willow's barrage of stakes, despite this though, Willow still managed to tag him with her last shot as the stake narrowly missed his face and ripped off his right ear. The Vampire howled in pain and rage then sprinted past its two fallen comrades, heading straight for a terrified and defenseless Willow, frozen on the spot.

Giles jumped into the path of the charging vampire and impaled him on his rapier. As the vampire doubled over, Giles pulled his rapier free and immediately went for a powerful downward stroke to take the vampires head. The vampire narrowly dodged this attack, but Giles simply reversed his attack with an upward swing. The vampire screamed as the blade of the rapier tore through its face; between the eye socket and the bridge of its nose. Giles pressed his attack with a punch to the face of the vampire; using the hand guard of the rapier, then he slashed diagonally across the body of the vampire. The vampire stumbled back as Giles pressed his attack putting the vampire firmly on the defensive. Hoping to put some distance between itself and the sword wielding man the vampire backpedaled away, but Giles wasn't about to let that happen.

Giles stabbed the vampire in the stomach then kicked out its left leg from under it, which knocked the vampire to the ground. Giles brought his rapier up for the killing blow, but was blind-sided and knocked to the ground by another vampire. The rapier was knocked from his grip and Giles was momentarily stunned from the surprise attack, which was enough for the second vampire to rise to its feet. Standing over the hunched over Watcher the vampire kicked him in his exposed ribs. As the air exploded from his lungs in an agonized gasp, the vampire reeled back to deliver a second more powerful kick but suddenly screamed in agony.

"Take that you freak!" Giles turned to see Cordelia dousing the vampire with a liberal amount of holy water from her bottle, searing the flesh of the vampires face and chest. She then pulled a cross from around her neck and held it straight at the vampire. The vampire hissed and backed away, allowing Willow to come to Giles aid and help him to his feet, but the vampire recovered quickly and slapped the cross from her hand.

"I am going to enjoy draining you dry!" The vampire hissed malevolently at Cordelia as it closed in slowly with the gait of a predator stalking its prey.

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Willow said firmly. Letting go of Giles she balled her fists at the side of her body and focused her concentration on the vampire "*Por tonte lu veu expedao repulsa!" Immediately a solid wave of energy appeared and slammed into the vampire with tremendous force; knocking it back more them twenty feet into the air where he ping ponged off the trunk of a tree with a satisfying *_**thunk**_.*

Unfortunately with her concentration set so firmly on the one vampire Willow didn't notice the other two until it was too later. Turning suddenly, while steeling herself to repeat the rather draining spell, Willow was hit with a solid backhand that completely knocked her senseless. Cordelia and Giles attempted to come to her aid, but Cordelia was no fighter and was quickly knocked to the ground along with a weakened Giles.

"I got dibs on the brunette." The first vampire said licking its chops.

"No way! you got a piece of that hot blonde in the house! I want the brunette, you can take the old guy then we'll share the redhead." The second leered at Cordelia. And she knew exactly what he really meant to do to her.

"Like hell, I'm not eating some old wrinkled-" *_**Snaaaathunk**_* The vampire blinked and looked down to see a crossbow bolt had pierced its heart, then it exploded into dust. The second vampires head snapped around to see two young men, one standing a few feet off hastily reloading his crossbow, the other was bearing down on him with a large axe. Deciding that it wasn't coming out of this fight empty handed the vampire quickly grabbed the redhead and flung her over his shoulders then wrapped his other arm around the brunette's throat and pulled them back toward the tree line leading into a thickly wooded area. Cordelia however refused to go quietly as she screamed, kicked, clawed and did whatever she could to slow the vampire down and allow Xander to reach her.

"Oz, help Giles, I got this guy!" Xander said. Oz looked ready to argue and Xander could see the clearly tormented expression on his face as he thought about what the vampire would do to Willow, but he nodded reluctantly and moved off to help Giles.  
Xander knew that Willow and Cordy's chances of survival were nil if the vampire made it into the wood line uncontested, so he picked up the pace to a full on sprint. Reaching them just as they entered the tree line, Xander didn't dare swing the axe for fear of hitting Cordelia or Willow, instead he brought the axe level and simply rammed the handle into the vampires back. With the added weight of Willow on its shoulder and Cordelia's resistance the vampire couldn't maintain its balance and fell over, spilling Willow to the ground and knocking Cordelia over.  
Xander immediately saw an opening and attacked; bringing the axe up over his head he brought the weapon down with all of his might, but the axe stopped firm mere inches from the vamps face as it caught the handle.

"Oh crap" Xander muttered, as the vampire gripped the handle more firmly. Xander attempted to pry the weapon loose but the vampires grip was just too strong, forcing him back against a tree. The vampire used its superior strength and managed to force the long wooden handle of the ax against Xander's throat then raised him several feet off the ground. Try as he might Xander just didn't have the strength to fight him off and his vision was starting to go blurry from the impromptu hanging.

"You bastard, leave my boyfriend alone!" An enraged feminine cry pierced the night. Cordelia was up on her feet and grabbed something from her coat pocket then jabbed it into the lower back of the vampire. Xander felt the vampire tense as its muscles spasmed then it released its grip on the handle of the ax and fell to the ground. Xander dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes, gasping for breath. In an instant Cordelia was at his side.

"Xander, are you ok?" She asked in clear concern.

"I'll be fine... Cordy, just give... me a minute." Xander coughed.

"All I need is a minute." Cordelia said with a vindictive smile on her face. She rose to her feet then stalked to the vampire "Want a piece of me, huh?" She sneered. "Take a piece of this!" She kicked the vampire firmly in the face. "And this!" she stomped on its groin several times. *_**Snapbuzz**_* Cordelia activated her stun gun again, "How about a few thousand volts!?" She jabbed it into the vampire's chest and held it there for a few moments as the vampire spasmed uncontrollably in agony. With that done she pocketed her stun gun then proceeded to 'vent' her frustrations on the vampire in series of surprisingly powerful blows to his crotch and face and only stopping when she felt Xander come up behind her. Xander nodded to her as Cordelia turned away to help a moaning Willow then he brought the axe up and finished the vampire. As the dust motes scattered in the breeze, he thought wryly that he was glad Cordy was on their side.

With the vampire now dust, Xander turned and moved to Willows side. "Willow...hey, are you ok?" Xander asked. The tenderness in his voice caused a spell of jealousy to rise in Cordelia's throat, but she fought it down. It was only natural that he would be like that with her, Xander had the white knight complex down to a T and Willow was his best friend after all, but it didn't mean Cordelia liked it. Still, she decided it would hardly be fair to jump into what others termed her 'Queen Bitch mode' simply for him showing concern for his friend.

Willow moaned and rubbed her face then opened her eyes. Blinking several times she finally brought them into focus before her eyes settled onto Xander and Cordelia. "Uhhmm. I'm ok...I think."

"Can you stand?" Cordelia asked.

Willow nodded "I think so." Both Xander and Cordelia helped her to her feet, Willow wobbled for a few moments then held herself steady.

"Ewe," Cordelia grimaced as she inspected Willows face more closely. "That's gonna leave a mark." Willow rubbed the side of her face gingerly, the heat from the impact and the pain were intense but nothing she couldn't handle. "I'll be ok, I gotta ice it tonight."

"What are you going to tell your parents?" Cordelia asked.

"As if they'd notice," Willow almost snapped. She winced, then her tone of voice took on a contrite note "I'm sorry Cordelia, I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"Well I'll forgive you this once." Cordelia said, she was just happy to get past the awkward moment.

"Why are we in the woods?" Willow asked, she had finally taken stock of their surroundings and was getting nervous again. "Xander it's not safe here."

"I think the vampire was going to try the caveman act on the two of you. You know club the hot chicks and then drag...." Xander winced as he realized where his tasteless joke was heading. The death glare he received from both women made him cringe internally. _Oh yeah Harris, real smooth_. "Sorry, sorry!" Xander held up his hands. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok, Xander." Willow said with a warm smile, Cordelia smiled thinly and nodded then moved closer to her boyfriend.

"Cordy...baby?" Xander looked intently to Cordelia.

"Yes, Xander?" She answered.

"Thanks for saving my bacon back there." Xander smiled warmly and took hold of her hand.

"You were pretty heroic yourself." Cordelia admitted almost reluctantly with a slight smile. The trio moved out of the wood line towards Giles and Oz, and found them both standing over a fallen vampire along with Anakin.

"The vampire?" Anakin asked.

"Toast," Xander smiled.

"Literally" Cordelia smiled.

"Thank God, it's good to see your all ok." Giles breathed, and then he frowned directly at Xander. "Xander that was extremely foolish what you did. I know you care for both Cordelia and Willow very deeply, but you're not Buffy, you should have waited for backup."

"Giles you were down, and there still was a vamp in the area, I couldn't just leave them there like that. If I had, Cordy and Willow would both be dead or worse by now." Giles sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"That's enough for now." Anakin said. "We can worry about recriminations later."

"Wait a minute, what happened to the demons and the other three vampires?" Xander asked in confusion.

Anakin threw his thumb over his shoulder "You mean them?" Xander followed his gaze and noted two green puddles of goo and nothing else."

"Cool," Oz surmised for the entire group. He still had his crossbow trained on the cowering vampire.

"Amen to that wolf-man." Xander replied. "What are going to do with that?" Xander asked referring to the vampire. No one answered for a long moment which made Oz shrug and take careful aim.

"No." Anakin said. He put his hand on the crossbow and slowly lowered it, Oz didn't dispute his move. "Leave him to me; I will deal with him myself." There was something in Anakin's voice, a deep barely concealed rage in his tone that sent a chill down each and every one of their spines. His eyes had a dark, angry look to them as he stared down at the vampire.

Giles caught on immediately. "Of course...Anakin," Giles looked to the vampire and smiled thinly "But please don't take too long, we still have to hit St. Mercy's Grace cemetery." Turning to the scoobies "Let's get back to the street and await Anakin there." The scoobies moved with great haste from the side of the house and moved back toward the open street, none of them wanted to bear witness to what was about to happen.

Anakin waited till he deemed they were far enough away, then he turned back toward the vampire. The look on his face was a mask that hid his anger and loathing for what he considered an abomination.

"Hey man..I..I didn't do anything, I didn't kill-" The vampire chocked as _something _gripped it around the throat and lifted it off the ground to hang in mid air.

"Listen to me carefully, cretin" Anakin spoke lowly and forcefully. He was barely containing his rage, but that was only due to the fact he had other more _interesting_ ways to vent it. "The only reason you survive is because I allow it, because you are going to serve a purpose to me with your miserable...." Anakin trailed off "What was the term Xander used? Ah yes, your _unlife_. How fitting" The vampire made chocking sounds and tried to grip at the invisible force clamping down on its throat. Anakin found it highly amusing, this abomination did not need breathe to survive, yet it acted on pure reflex as if it did, very amusing. A pity this creature no longer had a connection to the Living Force; Anakin would have enjoyed feeling the rolling waves of fear translating through it.

"You think I do not remember you, but you are mistaken. You are the vampire I spared the previous night." Anakin applied more pressure to the Force-choke, and then pulled the creature to within inches from his face. "You're going to deliver a message for me, spread it far and wide to all the vampires and demons of this town who wish to harm the innocent. Do you understand?" The vampire tried to respond, but only managed a weak nod instead.

"Good." Anakin smiled viciously "You're going to tell them that Sunnydale is now under the protection of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker." The vampire again tried to speak, but nothing came out. Sighing, Anakin stepped back and released the Force-choke, allowing the vampire to crumple to the ground. Anakin was again amused to see the vampire cough and massage its throat.

The vampire's relief was only short lived as that same unseen force slammed it back against the tree, pinning its arms behind it. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO LET ME GO!!!" It screeched in barely controlled terror.

"You dare call me a liar?" Anakin raised an eyebrow, but his attention seemed mainly focused on his fingers of his right hand as he flexed them. For the briefest moment the vampire could have sworn it saw sparks of electrical energy jump between his fingers....

"No, no, no, no not that!" The vampire pleaded. "I just don't understand what more you want from me!?"

Anakin faced the vampire and narrowed his eyes. He stopped flexing his fingers and balled them into white knuckled fists. This time, there was no doubt, as the vampire witnessed electrical sparks radiate along his fists. The vampire gulped.

"We're going to talk about younglings." And with blinding intensity Anakin lashed out with Force-Lightning on the vampire, its screams seeming to echo across all of Sunnydale.


	5. Chapter 4 The Chosen Ones

**Chapter 4. The Chosen Ones**

***********

At some point during his 'message' Anakin realized what was happening. He didn't understand _how_ it had happened; he'd been in firm control of his anger when they stumbled onto the younglings...but like the moon eclipsing the sun; Darth Vader had found a way to take root within him, once again.

Breathing heavily, he turned his thoughts inward, struggling to reach for a calm centre in his thoughts, trying to let the darkness dissipate, yet it clung to him like a thick dark oil, a coating of rage and loathing that smothered him and crushed him...but it was _not_ directed at the pathetic creature cowering before him.

It was _him_. It was the memory of those _other_ Younglings he had failed, so many years ago, as he had stalked deep into the Jedi Temple on a mission of murder from Darth Sidious, desperate to gain the strength in the Dark Side he needed to save his wife...

It had been perhaps one of his greatest crimes, the murder of innocence at the hands of his selfishness and immaturity, his inability to let go of everything he feared to lose. Instead, he'd held on tighter and tighter until, inevitably, he had destroyed the very thing he loved most in this life. For a vampire, to kill was its nature and no fault could be laid on the soul of the person it had once been. The crime it perpetrated was only a reflection of the crime that had been done to the person it had once been.

But for Anakin...for _him_...it had been a _choice_; a choice made with his soul intact to _embrace_ evil, to become the betrayer of those he loved, those who trusted him. Because of his weakness, he had _allowed_ evil to taint his soul, and he had _embraced_ that evil for decades.

And in his mind, that fact alone made the thing before him a better creature then the monster he still considered himself to be.

His face contorting in regret, Anakin swallowed as he truly observed his handy work on the vampire. Much of the flesh to its face had been savaged by the unrestrained power of the Dark Side to such a degree as to be unrecognizable, and third degree burns covered much of its body, he having paid particular attention to neutering the vampire; to make a point that rape would not be tolerated under his watch.

While it was hard for Anakin to spare sympathy for the creature before him, he knew he had long since crossed the line; He'd have to redouble his efforts to make sure he would never, _could_ never do this again.

But already he'd set a bad example. Stretching out to the Force he could feel the deep unease of what he was doing from his chosen allies, but there was one among them who radiated deep satisfaction at his actions, and there in lay another aspect of his problem.

He had been on this world for but a short time, yet already he had felt a growing connection with these people and, one among them in particular. Xander, Anakin was quickly finding out, was much like his son Luke, in that his love for his friends propelled him to courses of action that weren't always in his best interests. His soul was like an open book in that it hid nothing, and from what Anakin had observed and felt through the Force, he genuinely cared for the people around him with almost fanatical intensity that seemed to have no limit.

In that regard he was _exactly_ like Luke, who had bet the future of the Rebellion and the Galaxy itself on him, on the unshakable belief that there was some tiny spark of Anakin Skywalker still alive in Darth Vader that could be reached...

But as Anakin was also finding out, he was also much like himself, in that he had a deep seated fear of losing the ones he loved, married with a deep seated anger and hatred, springing from something that obviously happened in his past. It was an extremely dangerous combination that if not properly handled could lead to his downfall. And that was something Anakin could not ignore...and nor was the kind of example he had set for Xander tonight in his single moment of perfect madness.

"Go" he said softly, in an emotionless voice that was all the more terrifying to the Vampire gasping in pain. "Go now, and be sure we never meet again."

The vampire whimpered its thanks, then hurriedly limped away and disappeared from sight, and Anakin let the last of his anger flow away in its wake, lowering his head and shutting his eyes in self recrimination; silently berating himself for letting things go too far. This was most definitely not the time or place to give into old habits. The Force had given him a chance at new life -he truly believed that- and what was he doing? Scorning the great gift that had been bestowed on him, making _precisely_ the same mistakes he had before. The last thing he ever wanted was to become the darkness that had dominated his life, which had stripped away his soul layer by layer. And with the dark energy of the Hellmouth radiating so strongly, it almost made it too strong to resist.

_'Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.'_

Yoda's words rung in his ears as if the venerable Jedi Master were standing with him, scolding him for his failure. Raising his head, Anakin took a deep breath and closed his eyes to steady his emotions and find his balance with the Force. It came, reluctantly, but eventually the raging crimson currents of the Dark Side flowed away as the night gave way to the dawn, bringing with it the calm serenity of the light. It gave Anakin hope, a sense of focused determination that the Dark side could be beaten, that he could resist its sirens song if he could just guard his emotions and focus on his self control.

It would be hard; it would be _so hard_ for him after so many years of living in the darkness and its seductive, _easy_ power...

But it _could_ be done.

And it _would_ be done. One day at a time.

Taking a deep breath Anakin turned and headed for the others, the monster firmly back in its cage.

For now.

They still had a patrol to finish.

****************

**The Next Afternoon**

"I think we can safely say that last night was a perfect example of what _not_ to do." Anakin stated.

After getting some much needed rest - and in Giles's case medical attention for two cracked ribs he had sustained during the battle- the Scoobies were once again in the Library. On the heavy wooden table pieces of equipment and weapons were laid out in an organized fashion.

"We did pretty good last night" Willow spoke up almost too quickly. "My defensive spell worked, thank you very much, and we're all still alive, so I don't see the problem."

"Had I not been there it would have been an entirely _different_ outcome." Anakin stated bluntly, managing somehow to not roll his eyes at her impossibly glib statement. "You all have relied on your Slayer, but I see now you did so perhaps too much, it's made you sloppy and uncoordinated. You _don't_ communicate with each other, you _leave_ blind spots for the enemy to exploit and you _must_ learn to be quiet when hunting something with far superior senses then your own. During our patrol of the Graveyard you practically advertised our position to the enemy; only the fact that they were thinking of you as food and not a hostile force kept you alive more than ten seconds after stepping through the gates! If you are to survive to see your friend return, this will have to change. What I'm saying is its time you learned to fight as a team _without_ the Slayer."

"Ok I have a big problem with this." Willow again spoke up. "Because, you see, Buffy's coming back."

"Perhaps" Anakin accepted with a nod, neither accepting nor dismissing Willows flat statement. "But that kind of wishful thinking didn't do you any good last night, did it? If you want to be among the living when she returns, you're going to have to stop acting like she is going to be there to save the day the instant you are in over your heads."

Willow's features instantly darkened but Anakin pressed on, holding her gaze with a look of his own. "It's only by the Will of the Force that you managed to persevere, not your skills. Willow, after you used the defensive spell last night it left you weakened, vulnerable and distracted. It's obvious to me that not even _you_ were prepared to deal with the after effects of a spell that sapped a good deal of your energy, to say nothing of the fact that you lacked focus when in mortal danger, with a single chance to get it right. In addition to that there was no one covering you to fend off a close in attack. The end result was, well, exactly what happened. You're telekinetic attack with the stakes was poorly executed, we're definitely going to have to work on your aim, but you do show promise. Mr. Giles said that he'd help you personally with that as soon as was practical."

Willow at that moment looked particularly humbled as her face flushed a shade of red matching her hair. It wasn't Anakin's intent to embarrass her but she _needed_ to understand the seriousness of the situation that patrol was not the time to test out new spells. Used as he was to working with Stormtrooper Units for whom discipline and training was programmed into their very genetic code, Anakin knew he was being unrealistic in expecting a civilian to turn into a soldier overnight...

...But he also knew if he _didn't_ push this group hard, the odds of them making it through many more nights like yesterday were slim. He didn't know much about Witches or Magic, but by what he saw and felt from Willow indicated she was _extremely_ powerful and gifted…for a beginner. He didn't want to overstep his bounds so soon after arriving, but it was obvious that Willow was their biggest weapon, so to speak, and it was equally obvious that she _desperately_ needed focus and training. And while he knew he wasn't the man for that particular job, he had a _strong_ suspicion that Giles would be; he just needed the proper time and place to talk to him about it.

But satisfied that Willow was sufficiently chastised for the moment he pressed on.

Anakin moved to stand in front of Xander. "Xander you showed true courage when you pursued the Vampire to save your friends. I commend you for this." Xander smiled sheepishly at Anakin's praise.

Then Anakin let the other shoe drop.

"With that being said, your reckless actions also nearly got you _killed_. You should have had Oz support you in your attack and worked as a team, instead you were easily disarmed then over powered. Had it not been for a timely intervention by Cordelia, we would not be having this conversation." Of course Anakin would probably have done the same thing so he couldn't berate Xander...too much.

And Obi-Won would have no doubt berated Anakin much the same way as he was berating Xander…probably more so, come to think of it. The thought nearly brought a nostalgic smile to his face.

"Well…I …" Xander stammered for a moment before Anakin cut him off smoothly.

"Another thing is your choice of weapon. I remember from last night that you're fond of that Axe, but you simply don't have the upper body strength to wield it properly. We'll have to find a weapon more suited to _you_."

Xander was about to protest but decided to remain quiet and shrugged in acceptance, while he didn't like the idea of giving up Cleaver, Anakin did seem to know what he was talking about. Already he had pointed out quite a few blunders they had made. Xander didn't know why but he decided he'd trust Anakin's judgment, it was if he could _feel_ the experience radiating off the man. Odd really, considering he had known the guy for all of a day now. What exactly did that mean?

Anakin moved to stand next to Oz. "Oz, my only criticism of your performance last night was in the grave yard. You didn't speak up when you thought you detected danger. Even a split second warning can sometimes make the difference."

Outwardly Oz didn't flinch but just nodded in acceptance. Inwardly he silently berated himself for that mistake; but the point had been driven home like a hammer. If anything had happened to Willow it would tear him apart inside and he'd do anything to prevent her from getting hurt. Still, it was pretty cool that Anakin was pointing out their mistakes, no one else had done that and it was better to know your own weaknesses so you could deal with them. His own werewolf experience had been a hard lesson in that category. So like Xander, Oz also decided to trust in Anakin's judgment.

Anakin moved to stand in front of Cordelia. "Cordelia you're fighting skills unfortunately do not match your force of nature personality. You need personal defense training." Anakin paused and regarded the entire scoobies gang. "In fact you are _all_ in need of personal defense training."

"So, what, are you going to teach us?" Cordelia spoke up with an arch look on her face.

"That's my intent." Anakin answered. "But for now I have something else in mind, at least for the short term. To develop a training program will take a little time on my part to organize and prepare. However in the interim we can work on one or two small points."

Anakin moved to the table and motioned for Xander to join him. He picked up something and turned back to face the scoobies. "Your most glaring weakness is communications and coordination; this device will help you overcome that." Anakin turned to face Xander. "What do you call this Comlinks again?"

"Walkie Talkie," Xander supplied.

"Right. Anyway this crude communications device will allow you to stay in contact if you get separated. It will also allow you to coordinate your attacks before engaging the enemy. From what Xander tells me they're more toys then real field equipment, limited in both power and range, but until I can find or construct something more powerful these will have to do. Today I'm going to be teaching you some basic communications skills and how to coordinate your attacks; _just_ the basic stuff first. We'll work on more complicated attack strategies later." Anakin put down the Walkie Talkie and picked up a sword. "First things first though, let's talk weaponry. Stakes alone are not going to cut it; they don't give you a reach advantage when dealing with Vampires and demons who have considerable advantages in reflexes, speed and strength. Before we leave today we're going to select weapons suitable for you and then you're going to familiarize yourself with them."

Anakin turned to look at his audience to note they were looking rather unsure of the whole thing, as if they had all suddenly realized that this party wasn't quite as much fun as it used to be.

_'Oh yeah I've definitely got my work cut out for me…'_

Anakin smiled reassuringly, trying not to cringe as he thought about just how far he had to go with them. "Now, let us begin."

*****************************

**One Week Later**

Once again another night of patrolling had ended and once more the warm gentle light of dawn began to peak out over the horizon. He'd been here for over a week, working himself into a sort of routine; learning as much as he could about his new allies, this town and this world, and guarding the Hellmouth against the forces of darkness at night, and sometimes well into the following day.

Having learned of the weakness and constraints that daylight placed on Vampires, Anakin was quick to exploit it. In the past week he'd cleared out more than a dozen Vampire nests and hideouts. The result had netted more than a hundred Vampires with the occasional demon that would never harm another soul again. What few survivors that he had allowed to survive had went on to serve another purpose, to spread word that this new Guardian of the Hellmouth would give them no respite, no reprieve and no place to call sanctuary that he could not reach.

Already it was having the desired effect as a slowly building terror at the mere mention of his name was beginning to radiate throughout the local Vampire and Demon community and word was beginning to spread even beyond Sunnydale.

He had learned through his new allies that during the day they had other commitments that prevented them from exploiting their enemies weaknesses; such as School, family and research, or as Cordelia had so eloquently stated 'a real life'. Even the Slayer fell into this category. So while everyone quickly agreed that the Slayer was a force to be reckoned with at night she was not very active during the day, inadvertently giving her enemies a chance to regroup. Anakin operated under no such constraints and pressed his campaign _relentlessly_, day and night, and amazingly, whether he liked it or not, an unwavering Xander always at his side.

So far it had not proven difficult. The enemies he faced had proven pitiful against the power of the Force, but Anakin would not allow himself to grow complacent. Call it the whisperings of the Force or his own instincts, but Anakin had a feeling this Hellmouth wasn't done with him by a long shot.

It was if he were being tested, as if some unseen power was probing him, testing him for weaknesses, gauging his skills and abilities against the threats he and his allies faced here on a daily basis, before unleashing something truly horrible. It was only a feeling, but it nagged at him and one thing Anakin had learned to trust was his feelings. Whatever it was, he would need help when it came time to face it; that much he had learned the hard way.

Stubborn pride and arrogance had led to his downfall; he would not make that same mistake again, hence his daily meditation. Before his fall he had never really bothered with Force visions, instead preferring to forge his own path as it appeared before him.

Then came the visions of his mother and her painful death. Like prophecy, the events that led to the death of Shmi Skywalker happened exactly as had been foretold in his visions, regardless of his actions to prevent them.

It had definitely piqued his interest in learning more about Force visions, but unfortunately the war would serve as a hindrance to prevent his researching the subject in any great detail. Then came the visions of Padme's death during childbirth, but unlike the last time, this time his actions had directly been the cause of her death. From that point on Anakin no longer cared for Force visions, relating them only with death and pain. Now he hoped they would show him something different.

He had been in a meditative state for what must have been hours; letting his mind drift with the Force when the first visions flashed into his mind: a tall hulking warrior with a broadsword wearing heavy bone-plated armor. The warrior was flanked by a legion of Vampires; all of them wielding swords and wearing leather armor. They were rampaging, burning, killing and raping as they went; with the tall hulking warrior leading them on, there was nothing but a trail of bodies and burning buildings in their wake.

Another image flashed in his mind, that of a petite blonde with a stake in her hand trying to fight through a swarm of vampires that surrounded her. An unfamiliar brunette in black leather was being held on her knees, her face contorted in fear as an unseen figure stood in triumph over her.

Another image, that of two young men; Xander and Oz, Anakin recognized, with Xander expertly wielding a sword in a style Anakin knew intimately, and Oz firing off crossbow bolts at a steady rate; both tearing almost tirelessly through vampires as they stood guard over a fallen Willow.

But the final vision was different from the rest. It was a single hooded figure, cloaked in the deepest black, set against the backdrop of a burning town, whose face was shrouded in darkness...

With a Sith eyes staring directly back at him.

_Laughing_ at him.

Anakin's eyes snapped open and he expelled a deep breath he hadn't known he'd been holding as he wrenched himself out of the vision. He stood and held his hands on his head as he breathed out the last traces of his unease, absently noting the beads of sweat on his face and chest as he reached for a robe to put on over the sweatpants he was wearing, before he turned from the roof. He hardly made a sound, careful not to wake Giles as he moved to the living room and took a seat in one of the plush chairs, forcing himself to take many long minutes to still his racing heart and control his breathing, as he let his mind search out any sort of meaning to the visions.

That's all they were - visions without context. He did not know what events would precipitate them or if this possible future was set in stone. His experiences in these matters had never been positive ones. But what was immediately clear was that a great darkness was coming, and from what he could gather it would be here relatively soon.

Time was not on their side.

_'__Always in motion the future is_.'

Anakin snorted. Once again Master Yoda's words came back to him with far greater meaning then they ever had before - why hadn't he listened to him then?

Anakin sighed.

He _had_ to stop this, he'd slowly drive himself mad if he kept obsessing about every mistake he ever made. It was bad enough that he couldn't go an hour without something to remind him of his crimes, but if he kept this up he'd slowly sink into depression and despair. He had to keep his focus and direct his energies to the task at hand.

Again, Anakin slowly closed his eyes and recalled the visions one at a time. Thanks to his Force enhanced mind he was able to recall each with startling clarity, and he had all the time in the world to meditate on them.

The image of the blonde and the unfamiliar brunette was the first to come to his mind. He quickly decided that the blonde must be Buffy; based on everything he'd been told about her it was not that hard to figure out who she was. She was smaller than he expected, which surprised him slightly. With Xander and Willow telling him tale after tale of her exploits one couldn't help but think she was ten feet tall and nearly invincible. What he felt in that one _moment_ during his vision showed a young, beautiful woman with amazing strength and character.

_'She truly is everything they said she was'_

Anakin thought with no small amount of wonder. How one so young, who had done so much and yet was able to keep from being swallowed whole by the darkness, could still have such strength of character? He looked forward to meeting her. So it would appear that the Slayer would return at some point in the future, or was it a vision of the past he had seen?

It was the future, his feelings were certain of it. So who was the brunette then? Anakin had no idea who she was, but she seemed destined to have a part to play in the coming battle. An ally perhaps? Possible, but the rolling waves of terror radiating from her gave him pause.

The next image to enter his mind was of the tall warrior brandishing a massive broadsword. Whoever he was, he was powerful - _very_ powerful. Anakin had never felt a power quite like his; it wasn't the Force as he recognized, but something different yet unnervingly familiar somehow. Whatever it was Anakin would treat it and this new adversary with healthy caution, because Anakin was absolutely certain this guy was not an ally; the image of him leading a band of sword wielding vampires while pillaging and plundering pretty much made _that_ a certainty. Or was it? It seemed pretty much a certainty by what he saw and felt, but Anakin couldn't help but think he was missing something, and he had long ago learned about making assumptions based off a few scattered visions that had no context. He needed to study this one _very_ carefully before acting.

The next image to come to mind was that of Xander and Oz fighting off a group of vampires, and this he studied closely. Xander was brandishing a Katana in a style much the same way a Jedi would a Lightsaber...but more than that, he could _feel_ the Force in the vision, channelled and focused as if Xander were tapping into it, a feeling that only grew as Anakin slowly played the vision in his mind. Xander was tearing into the groupof vampires with magnificent ease, his blade moving almost with a will of its own, not a move wasted and not a mistake shown, giving Oz more than enough time to place some well aimed shots and earning a smile of approval from Anakin, as he recalled many similar situations he and Obi-Wan had fallen into throughout their long history, fighting back to back as two halves of the same machine...

But his smile faded as that scene did, to be replaced with the final image. A hooded, cloaked figure whose face he couldn't make out, but who had Sith eyes.

The Dark side of the Force was _strong_ with him; his power rivaling Anakin's own.

Was there a Sith lord here on Earth, perhaps the cause of all what was to come? He hadn't felt the presence of one, but that didn't mean there wasn't one here. That had to be it, what other possible explanation could there be? But truthfully there was another possibility, a possibility that, try as he might, he couldn't ignore; that the dark figure he saw was himself…the return of Darth Vader…

Anakin opened his eyes and clenched his teeth. He made a silent vow then and there that the Dark side would not hold sway on this world. It was bad enough these people had to face the demonic threat on a daily basis, but to deal with a Sith Lord on top of that? They'd be overwhelmed.

Despite his growing affection for his new allies Anakin didn't want to bet on their chances of facing a Sith Lord and surviving. And here was where he came to a decision he'd been putting off since his arrival.

He would have to take an apprentice.

There was no other way around it, he couldn't be everywhere at once and he would need as much help as he could get in both battling this new foe and learning the identity of it's Sith master. However, Anakin was also deeply apprehensive about this. He had taken two apprentices in his previous life and both of them had ended badly.

_'__I'm the new padawan learner, I'm Asoka Tano.....I've been assigned to master Skywalker!__'_

Asoka Tano...she had been only a Youngling when she had been assigned to him at the beginning of the Clone Wars, but she was spirited and full of enthusiasm. It hadn't taken her long to worm her way into his heart, to become the chosen apprentice of the 'Chosen One', despite the brutal reality of the war they had been sent to fight. And for the next year and a half she would be a constant companion at his side. In that short time she had become more than just his apprentice, she had become a dear friend; as close to him as family...

...and she had died just before he had been recalled back to Coruscant, speared on Dooku's blood-red blade. The pain of her death had only added to a maelstrom of rage that would eventually consume Anakin Skywalker in the birth of Darth Vader in the coming weeks

_'__You were weak when I found you, but now your hatred has become your strength. At last, the Dark side is your ally_. _Rise my apprentice.__'_

Starkiller had been an entirely different affair. He had killed the poor boy's father right in front of him, and then he had trained the boy in secret in the harshest, most brutal ways possible; all in his design to use the boy to defeat _his_ Master. He didn't allow himself to grow attached to the boy, such was not the way of the Sith, but secretly, he had wished to be spared the pain he would feel when it, inevitably, came time for the boy to die.

He was a pawn, not a true apprentice. The Emperor of course had known exactly what Vader had been doing and through his subtle manipulations he had used the boy to further _his_ own ends, to weed out the Rebels. But Vader and the Emperor both had underestimated the boy's strength and tenacity; as he smashed his way through the Death Star's defenses, through Vader himself and finally the Emperor, all in his valiant effort to save the fledgling Rebellion.

It had been a long time since he had given the boy any thought, but if there was one way he would have described young Galen Marek, Anakin would have used only these three simple words; 'The Force Unleashed'.

In the end it mattered little, both of them had died far too young. Asoka by Dooku, Starkiller by Palpatine, both of them had been his responsibility and he had failed them both. In Asoka's case there was nothing Anakin _could_ have done to save her, in Starkiller's case there was nothing Vader _would_ have done.

Anakin closed his eyes in momentary anguish as he brutally suppressed a wave of grief. While he was certain he wouldn't do anything near as harsh to his new apprentice it did make him wonder: would the same fate befall this one as had the previous two?

Anakin opened his eyes and sighed again, it was a risk he would have to take.

That led to another question, which of the two boys to train first?

Xander, the visions had shown Xander as being his first apprentice. But if he trained Oz first it was possible the future he saw might not come to pass-

Anakin scowled, something about that just didn't feel right. No, Xander would be his first new apprentice; _that_ was the will of the Force. And this time he would make sure to do it right.

Anakin wasn't sure how to approach the boy with this, it was an incredible burden to throw onto his young shoulders; such a life altering decision could not be made lightly.

It also made Anakin wonder where he would train the boy should Xander accept. The library wasn't exactly the Jedi temple or a Jedi enclave; it was too public, too open and not nearly well enough equipped. Not to mention the fact it was the gathering spot of the curiously named 'Scooby Gang'. No, the library simply would not do.

He would need to establish himself here and find a place that could act as his own residence, but also serve his purposes in training the first in what would hopefully be a new generation of Jedi. He had a few ideas he intended to look into during tonight's patrol that might bear fruit.

All in all he felt he was making headway in whatever purpose he was supposed to find here. He would make his approach during tonight's patrol then give him the time needed to dwell on it, but not too much time. The outcome would now be up to Xander.

*********************

"I hurt." a female voice whimpered across from Xander.

Sitting in his usual spot at the wooden table in the library, Xander looked up in concern at his best friend. "Where?"

"Everywhere..." Willow whined. Her head plopped down on her arms which were resting across the table. It had been another long night of very active patrolling with their new ally, who just seemed to be as a big a magnet for trouble as Buffy.

"We should so look up some healing spells or something," Xander sighed in pain and fatigue.

It was clear he'd been getting far less sleep then his fellow Scoobies. They were all feeling the strain of the past week and a half of continuous slaying finally catching up to them.

Unlike Buffy, who seemed to prefer doing everything herself if she could, Anakin utilized his allies when he deemed necessary. In the past week since their first patrol together, Anakin had conducted some _very_ basic training in coordination, as well as working out an effective means of communication. While it made the Scoobies noticeably more effective in slaying, it also put them in the thick of the fighting far more than they were used to, and it was showing.

"Haven't found any yet, which is really surprising, I mean you would think some of these witches and warlocks would create something like that to heal people they care about. But no, nothing, well except for that cool self-regenerative spell...that I still haven't figured out yet, but ahhh...nothing on healing others, which again with the surprisingness," Willow mumbled, not even bothering to look up from her resting position.

"Huh, weird" Oz agreed.

Cordelia spared them a look from behind the cover of her 'Cover Girl' magazine, shrugged then went right back to reading.

"Maybe Giles knows where we can find some." Xander said.

"If that were the case he'd have told me already." Willow pouted, finally looking up. "I mean how difficult could it be?"

Oz looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'm gonna have to say pretty difficult, babe."

"Yeah," Xander agreed. "The G-man has like two cracked ribs from our first night of slaying with Anakin."

"Second." Oz corrected.

Xander shrugged. "The night we met him doesn't count, that was just his welcome to Sunnyhell. At any rate Giles won't be doing any slaying for a while, which means it's just going to be us."

"Count me out tonight." Oz said.

"_That_ time of the month again, huh?" Xander smirked.

Oz raised his eyebrows in amusement and nodded. "Yup."

"Which means I can do research for healing spells while pulling Oz duty." Willow smiled tiredly.

"It's something to look into, but you better get some sleep before tonight then." Xander suggested.

"Ok, but what about you, Xander?" Willow asked.

Xander shrugged. "Someone's got to keep the streets of Sunnydale safe. It's like Spiderman always said, with great power comes great responsibility!"

"And you have _neither_." Cordelia murmured in an oh-so casual voice just loud enough to be heard by everyone at the table, as she continued flipping through the pages in her magazine.

"And I can't picture you in blue and red spandex, dude," Oz noted.

"Yeah like Cordelia said, you're noticeably absent of special powers, Xander," Willow smiled sympathetically.

"Ok, so instead of Spiderman substitute him for Batman."

"But you don't know cool martial arts moves or have really cool gadgets," Willow pointed out.

"Or Alfred," Oz added.

"You guys are _killing_ me!" Xander shook his head in mock exasperation. "Stop finding flaws in my otherwise brilliant analogies."

"You look more beat up then we do, man," Oz observed carefully after a moment.

"Oz is right, Xander, you've had it worse than all of us, well maybe not Giles, but you know..." Willow said with a helpful shrug of her shoulders.

"What? Just leave Anakin to patrol by himself? He doesn't even know Sunnydale all that well, yet. He still needs someone to watch his back."

'He hasn't even been _tagged_ by a vamp yet," Oz said casually, and there was a moment as everyone digested that slightly uncomfortable fact until Xander spoke up softly.

"I know. I mean even _Buffy_ gets tagged by a vamp on occasion, but this guy just seems untouchable," Xander said with evident, if quiet, awe in his voice. "What do you guys think about him?"

"Cool dude, kicks mucho ass, glad he's on our side." Oz said, summing up his opinion in those few simple words.

"He's really strong and he's got some cool magic I hope he'll teach me, but there's something about him" Willow hesitantly put forward, her eyes unfocused as she looked inward. "Something _dark_."

"Like Hellmouthy dark?" Xander asked.

"More like...well, Angel-like dark," Willow said delicately.

Xander couldn't hide his scowl. "Please don't _ever_ mention that name again. I'd rather not think about that."

"Sorry Xander," Willow apologized. An awkward quiet followed for a few moments.

"Think he's stronger then Buffy?" Oz asked, more to break the awkward tension in the air rather then make small talk; a move that backfired as Oz with his usual tact pointed right at the enormous Elephant in the room no-one else would have thought to bring up.

"I don't know..." Xander said absently. His eyes had a faraway look to them. Clearly he'd been thinking about this for some time, Oz guessed, but any further thoughts were cut off as the door to the office opened.

"To be honest, right now it's not really important. We still have the matter of creating an identity for him." Giles entered the conversation as he came out of his office. Willow got up from her seat to help Giles gingerly move to a chair, he held up his hand to wave her off, but smiled in gratitude.

"I got it, I have the perfect answer to this question," Xander announced proudly. "Blast Hardcheese."

The elevated atmosphere of expectation in the library plummeted.

"You want to call him Blast Hardcheese?" Cordelia dropped her magazine and rolled her large eyes. "Hello Xander! Reality calling! Stop acting like a dweeb!"

"A dweeb?" Xander exclaimed. "A Dweeb? Did we just time warp to 1988?"

"Looking at your shirt, I'm thinking yeah," Cordy shot back, the expression on her face suggesting she was surprised he had asked such a stupid question. "Either that or a clown vomited on you."

"Hey, leave clowns out of this." Xander warned. "I mean it, or I will touch you with nylon."

"Don't you dare!"

There was a gentle cough as Giles cleared his throat. "Children, if you don't mind."

Xander and Cordelia settled down, perched opposite each other on the library table with Willow and Giles sitting at the end, Willow as usual latched to a computer terminal.

"We're trying to provide a name for our new friend so he can live a normal life." Giles spoke wearily. "Well, what passes for normal in this part of the world."

"Anakin Skywalker _sounds_ great, just doesn't exactly look inconspicuous on a driver license," Willow affirmed.

"Not a bad super hero name though," Xander said. "Which is what he is. He even has a cape."

"Robes," Willow corrected absently as she worked the computer. Xander shrugged.

"Close enough."

"I can hack into the central records and drop a little old file of him in there," Willow said with a poorly hidden attempt at nonchalance. "But I'd rather not have a name that stands out, you know, with the cyber crime."

"That's fine, but he's a hero, and heroes are called Blast Hardcheese," Xander reiterated with emphasis. "Or Beef McManbroth, or Rock Facepunch, or Jet Bulgepants, or…"

"I think that's enough Xander." Giles advised.

"I could go on all day!"

Cordy glared at him. "Not with a stapler shoved down your throat."

"What we need is a normal name." Giles suggested. "Like Barnaby or Aloysius."

"Any suggestions not from the Fifth Century?" Xander asked after five long seconds of agonizing silence from the younger people in the room. "Like Pummel Von Chainsaw?"

"How about we just call him Anakin Walker. Middle name, Sky," Cordy suggested, without looking up from her magazine. "Not so hard is it?"

The room went quiet. And now she _did_ look up with an arch expression on her face.

"What? Just because I'm rich, privileged and hotter than molten awesome doesn't mean I'm not smart."

Giles nodded. "I don't think we're going to get better than that. Willow?"

"I'll start typing it up."

"Fine," Xander said in dejection, "But I still say Missile McShotgun or Doctor Dropkick Das Slapgroin is much more fitting."

"Luckily nobody cares," Cordelia informed him cheerfully. "Anyway, we should go."

"We should?" Xander frowned.

"I have some important shoes to buy, and I need a trained monkey to carry them." She announced. "But I guess you'll have to do instead."

"How can I resist such an invitation?" They both got up and headed for the door. "Later."

"Bye bye," Willow called after them. "Have fun."

"I will. Probably not today, but fun is on my list of things to do before I die."

Giles waited until they left the library before commenting. "And people say TV doesn't rot the brain."

"Do you have a TV?" Willow asked. "I mean, I never said you did, just, well, you have books, lots of books, and sometimes TV is good, because it's like books, but it moves. Not the TV itself I mean, just the pictures. Unless it's haunted, think a TV can get haunted?"

"Willow...while I do appreciate your ability to cram three full conversations into one sentence, I think we should finish our tasks here first." He nodded at the Computer. "Those things still make me feel unclean."

"Curse technology!" Willow grunted satirically. "And its pesky methods of making life better for the world!"

"Easier, not necessarily better." Giles countered. "Still, it serves our purpose."

"Shouldn't take more than ten minutes," Willow estimated. "Then our new friend will be a full citizen of these United States. Not Lala land."

"So you doubt his story?" Giles raised an interested eyebrow.

"Is that how it came across?" Willow looked up.

"Rather much."

"I guess that's because I mean it," she replied. "Space empires and planet busters and laser guns? He may as well call himself Spock and get it done."

"My experiences here have taught me about open-mindedness."

"I'm open-minded!" Willow shot back. "My mind is so open it's getting drafty in there!"

"But you still harbor doubts?"

"Yeah, I do. Maybe he'd be more believable if he had a robot bodyguard that said 'By your Command' to every order. Then I'd believe him."

"He has shown remarkable strength and dexterity." Giles reminded. "Which is consistent with his explanations."

"Also consistent with big fat lies." Willow maneuvered around. "It could just be magic, new type of magic maybe, but I bet I could duplicate it."

"That would require casting spells on yourself, which is a recipe to disaster. I know from experience."

"Because of all those people that died when you got into a drug-fueled demon summoning pleasure cult?"

"Yes. Let's try not to dwell on it."

"I can't believe you did all that stuff, the drinks, the drugs, the orgies." She wrinkled her nose. "Was it fun?"

"Yes," Giles nodded, in a dead even tone that was a level of sarcasm all to itself. "Until supernatural forces started killing us, hijacking our bodies and turning our rotting corpses into puddles of green slime. Other than _that_ there were no downsides at all."

"I call that a pretty lesson on consequences."

"And I call it time to move on." Giles said pointedly. "Anakin has shown he is on our side."

"He's shown he'll fight vampires, that doesn't strictly mean he's on our side, just that he's not on the vamp happy train."

"He's saved lives."

"Might have suited him to, let him get close to us."

Giles paused. "Are you always this paranoid?"

"Only when people try to take over my group of friends."

"It's hardly a takeover."

"We already have a Warrior, and that's Buffy."

"Buffy isn't here."

"We have Buffy." She resumed her typing. "I'll do what you ask, but I'm not sure about him. Call it instinct, but he's not telling us something, and it's pretty damn important."

"There is wisdom in caution," Giles agreed. "But he is a powerful ally, and it would be foolish to dismiss him when we are still in quite dire circumstances."

"Buffy will come back. I know she will."

"I believe it too, but she has to come to terms with a lot first. It may be quite some time; we haven't even spoken to her since the incident. We don't even know what happened."

"She saved the world, that's what happened," Willow stated most clearly. "And all of us in it."

"I remember," Giles nodded. "The Council is still collecting reported sightings; I'm going to chase a few up soon, when this Anakin business is done. But before you go judging the man too harshly remember this Willow, Anakin is here of his own volition; aiding us when he truly has no reason to do so, and where is Buffy now? "

That comment stung Willow more than she cared to admit but still she stubbornly refused to concede to Giles's words" She'll come back, I know she will. And the sooner she's back the better." Willow tapped the keyboard forcefully. "Make things go back to normal."

********************

Sunny Haven cemetery was one of Sunnydale's newest cemeteries; as such it had certain luxuries that older cemeteries lacked such as paved walkways and lamp posts that provided decent lighting. With a full moon overhead combined with the artificial lighting it provided more than enough illumination for anyone to see clearly.

"A quiet night tonight," Anakin noted in a tone that one might have interpreted as boredom.

Xander looked to him then the surrounding headstones and crypts as if he were suddenly expecting trouble. "Yeah, they happen from time to time."

"Why are you not at home resting like the others?" Anakin asked.

"Oh they're not resting. It's _that _time of the month for Oz, so he'll be out of action for the next few nights. Willow and Giles are going to take turns watching over him."

"Is he sick?" Anakin asked in slight concern.

"Not....exactly." Rubbing his head and grimacing, Xander wasn't exactly sure how to explain Oz's werewolf situation without alarming Anakin. Despite having been their constant companion for the past week they really didn't know him that well.

He didn't talk that much beyond the general information he had already told them. It was clear to all of them that there was something in his past that he was uncomfortable talking about, Giles had hinted quite strongly that they give him the time and space he needed to come to terms with whatever it was.

It didn't really bother Xander all that much; as far as he was concerned he knew all he needed to know about the guy. Anakin had been there for them in their hour of need, risking his life to save complete strangers. In Xander's experience evil people did not do that.

"Go on," Anakin prodded.

"Ok...well...a few months ago Oz got bit by a werewolf."

"Yes, I had heard," Anakin answered evenly.

"You did?" Xander asked.

"Yes. I do not, however, completely understand what that means."

"Ahhh...well it means that on the night before the full moon, the night of and the night after, Oz transforms into a wolf-like creature complete with sharp teeth and claws with questionable hygiene and very bad eating habits," Xander explained.

"Not a demon," Anakin stated.

"No," Xander confirmed. "He's more like a wild animal; he loses all sense of control and can't stop himself from, well, doing bad things."

"Such as?"

"Eating...people, and peeing on fire hydrants or on the floor, because really, his wolf self isn't exactly house broken!" Xander grimaced. "It's the reason he can't be here tonight, he's got to be secured and watched to make sure he doesn't break out and hurt someone."

"So you keep him locked in the cage at the high school," Anakin surmised, ignoring Xander's colorful commentary.

"Yup, and whoever is on Oz detail has a tranquilizer gun to put him to sleep if it looks like he might get out; which would so not be a good thing if he did."

"Is there no cure?"

"Afraid not, and it's only complicated by the fact that most people don't exactly believe in werewolves, much like vampires."

"I see." Anakin replied as he absorbed it. Certainly, shape shifters were nothing new to him, but he had _never_ heard of a species that was forced to change shape at a specific time based on a Luna Cycle...

"So, he's okay, right?"

"No harm will come to him from me," Anakin answered.

"Thanks, sorry we didn't tell you sooner, I mean we would have told you, but there never seemed be a right time-"

"There is no need to apologize, you are still getting used to me," Anakin said.

"So...we're cool, right?" Xander asked.

"The weather is actually quite warm tonight." Anakin frowned in confusion.

Xander laughed. "No, not that, It's an expression, like, is everything fine, or something like that."

"I see."

Xander laughed again. "If you're going to be spending any amount of time here on Earth then we're going to have to teach you some references. You get most of that from movies, TV and music, so what kind of music do you listen to?"

"I was never much for music, I never had time for it, all my time and energies were spent on training and learning the ways of the Force."

"So the life of a warrior monk, huh?" Xander smiled.

"The life of a Jedi is never easy, it required the strongest commitment and focus, there wasn't much room in our lives for anything else, notwith an entire Galaxy that needs our service."

"Sounds like a raw deal," Xander said.

"But it was also a rewarding life; to help those in need, to protect the innocent, to make a difference, to just _feel_ the Force. It was worth the sacrifice," Anakin related with quiet conviction.

"Wow," was all Xander could say, shying away from the sudden intensity in Anakin's voice, the two continuing to walk along in silence, Xander _feeling_ something inside him at those words...

"I fight because I must, because as a Jedi I cannot turn my back on those in need Anakin said firmly, stopping in his tracks and as he turned to face Xander.

It seemed to him as if those two blue eyes were probing into his very soul. "Tell me Xander Harris, why do _you_ fight?"

Xander looked away at the same time his face became a bit reserved. "Does it matter?"

"It is perhaps one of the most important questions I could ever ask you," Anakin answered, _his_ gaze not wavering a millimetre.

"It's just that I'm not really comfortable talking about it with other people," Xander replied honestly.

"I understand your reluctance to talk about it, but I would not ask if I did not believe it was important."

Xander closed his eyes and took a deep breath, taking his time to come to a decision, before slowly exhaling and facing Anakin squarely. "A few reasons really. I first became aware of the nightlife around here when I first met Buffy. There were three of us originally, Willow, myself and Jesse; Jesse was my best friend and on the day we met Buffy he got captured and turned into a Vampire."

"So this is about revenge," Anakin said in a level tone.

"No!" Xander snapped. "I was forced to cram a stake through my best friend's heart and watch him crumple to dust before my eyes! Then I learned that Willow was in trouble, so I did what I could to help her, which granted wasn't much, but I would never leave her to those monsters! I fight because now that I _know_ that there are these creatures that see us as a walking buffet, I can't turn my back and ignore it because maybe, just _maybe_, I could do my small part in helping Buffy to beat them!"

"Is that so?" Anakin asked skeptically, his eyes asking the question he didn't have to voice…and Xander let out a slow sigh.

"Maybe I _did_ want revenge at first, but it's not about that anymore. This is about protecting the people I care about; I just don't want to lose anyone else!"

Anakin studied him intently. "I believe you." He said simply.

"Why the questions?" Xander asked. "What does it matter anyway? I'm not a superhero like you or Buffy; I'm just a normal guy." Xander turned and resumed walking, trying to ignore the surge of bitterness he felt at that fact-

"You could be a Jedi." Anakin said quietly from behind him.

Xander walked face first into a crypt. He rubbed the pain from his face then whirled to face Anakin. "I'm sorry, what was that again!?"

"Xander, The Force is strong with you. The same power that gives me the ability to do the things I can do, flows through you as well, _just as strongly_."

Xander stared at Anakin with his jaw agape, a series of emotions showing on his face as his brain processed the information. Shock, disbelief, anger, suspicion, joy, wariness, disbelief again and yet, more shock; it was as if he'd just been gob smacked. Suddenly without any warning he started laughing, lightly at first, but eventually it deteriorated into a deep bellicose laugh that seemed to echo across the entire graveyard; a laugh that bordered on the fine line between amusement and hysteria. If anyone had bore witness to this spectacle it would be very likely they would have turned and run the other way from the disturbing sight.

"That...that was a good one!" Xander said after regaining some of his composure. "Pure comic genius, for a while there I was starting to think you had no sense of humor."

"Do I look like I'm laughing?" Anakin asked, and his voice was like a bucket of cold water to Xanders face as he realized that the man _wasn't_ joking.

"You can't be serious!" Xander said, his voice almost pleading. "I already told you, I'm not some mystically empowered Slayer, and I can't do magic to save my life. I mean seriously, my one time working on a spell totally backfired in the _worst_ kind of way!" Xander repeated.

"You've said as much." Anakin confirmed, his voice still inhumanly calm and patient.

"You see, there," Xander said, sounding triumphant that he had just trumped Anakin's argument over his self worth, and yet, he wondered why.

"Yes, you've had a bad experience, playing with something that was never really your calling. But this is the Force, Xander, trust me on this, I _know_ what I'm talking about. The Force flows strongly through you, with time and training there is nothing you could not achieve."

"But I'm _Xander_," Xander said in a suddenly almost hollow voice. "I'm not really good at anything, I'm a screw-up, I always have been. All I've ever been good at is taking care of the people I care about. I'm nothing special."

"The Force would seem to disagree with you," Anakin countered.

Xander nodded numbly and sat down, all signs of humor had instantly evaporated, he pulled his arms close to his chest as if he were hugging himself. "This is a lot to take in. So what do I do now?"

"That's up to you." Anakin said.

"I gotta admit that the thought of having that kind of power scares me a bit," Xander related in complete honesty.

Anakin raised an eyebrow in appraisal. "Then you're far wiser then I first believed. But let me ask you this, Xander. Now that you know that you have the power to help the ones you care about, could you ignore it? If your friends really needed you, but you had turned your back on this one opportunity, could you forgive yourself?"

Xander's eyes became unfocused as his thoughts and feelings turned inwards.

"I am not offering you power, Xander. By the will of the Force, you already have that. I offer my knowledge and experience to help you walk the straight and narrow path of the light. To make a difference in not just the lives of your loved ones, but every life you touch. To become a Jedi Knight, but I will not deceive you. It is a difficult path to walk, one that is filled with many dangers; both outside and within. I will guide you as best I can, but you will have to face many of those dangers yourself."

Xander frowned deep in thought, but remained silent.

"I know this is a lot to throw on your shoulders, and I know you're going to need time to really think about this." Anakin said. He held out his hand to Xander who grasped it after a moment's hesitation; with considerable ease he helped the young man to his feet.

"When do you need my answer?" Xander asked in a quiet voice.

"When you have it, but please don't take too long, we have some time to us, but not a lot I fear."

"Why? What's wrong?" Xander asked.

"Nothing that you need to be concerned with right now."

"…Alright." Xander allowed, not sounding entirely convinced, but accepting it.

"I must ask one other thing, I ask that you keep this to yourself and not tell the others, yet. This is your decision and yours alone, not theirs _or_ mine. _You_ must be the one who ultimately decides where you want to go in life."

"I...I understand." Xander nodded.

"Good. Now let's get out of here. I understand there's a place you wanted to show me where we can get inside information?"

"Yeah, Willy's joint, it's just a few blocks from here."

"Then let's continue our patrol and not talk of this anymore tonight."

**************************

Xander led the way, striding through the door with clear bravado, and just as clearly was decidedly less confident than he pretended to be. Anakin accepted this, it was still very early days, in time he would grow into his abilities when he accepted them.

"Willy's bar." Xander announced. "What do you think?"

Anakin considered his words carefully. "I've never seen a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. And I grew up on Tatooine."

"Good to see you too." A greasy-haired man called from behind the bar. "You gonna just stand there and insult my place, or you gonna drink and then insult my place?"

With a shrug they sat at the bar.

"Hey Willy, how's tricks?" Xander asked.

"Business is good." The weaselly man replied. "What can I get you?"

"Two beers."

"Nice try kid."

"Okay, one beer and one water."

"On the way."

Anakin took a few moments to observe his surroundings. The bar was dark, its floor stained with spilled alcohol and probably blood too. Its walls showed the hallmarks of repeated violence, including what looked like a tooth buried in the doorframe.

"It looks like this place can get rough." Anakin mused.

"Oh it can." Xander nodded. "But this is one of the quieter places."

"Quieter?"

"Try the Fish Tank on Friday night. Chuck Norris would wet himself."

Anakin assumed that statement meant it was bad. He watched as Willy the barkeep placed a glass of beer before him which looked like it had been watered down to a point where it would probably be legal to give to Xander anyway.

"Enjoy, and help yourself to peanuts."

"Peanuts?" Anakin spied a glass bowl on the bar.

"Trust me, don't help yourself to peanuts," Xander winced. "Not unless you enjoy bending over a toilet for half an hour examining your meals for the last six hours."

Anakin continued surveying the bar, noting there were six creatures in the room. All were demons, but four of them looked human. With the Force he was able to detect three vampires, but the fourth human looking demon was more of a mystery. He was well dressed and sipping a cocktail, looking entirely inoffensive and out of his depth in a place like this. Anakin also noted _nobody_ was sitting near him, which he guessed said something about the strange man. They were afraid of him.

Two more obvious humanoid demons joined them at the bar, one ordering more drinks while the other glared at Xander, who tried to ignore the stare. Without prompting the demon garbled something at him, which Xander just smiled at with an increasing brittle wariness.

"He says he doesn't like you," the second demon translated.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry about that." Xander returned.

"_I _don't like you either."

"Okay."

"You should watch yourself," the demon sneered, baring sharp teeth. "We're wanted demons, we've got the death sentence in seven dimensions!"

"I'll be careful." Xander spoke quickly, his already tightly wound nerves fraying quickly.

"You'll be dead!"

"You should leave this young one alone." Anakin finally spoke up, keeping his voice flat but commanding. "He's not worth your trouble."

"Yeah?"

"Let me buy you a drink," Anakin offered.

It was to no avail, for whatever reason the two demons had it in their heads this was going to end in blood and two humans were easy targets. With a roar the nearest one tossed Xander aside, stretching back his hand to reveal long extending claws. Anakin did not hesitate, two silver blades blurring into his hands from their resting place up his sleeves.

"No violence! No violence!" Willy pleaded pointlessly, diving behind his bar as Anakin swept his blades up.

He sliced the arm from the nearest demon cleanly, eliciting a roar of pain and anger before backhanding the long knife into its throat. It was dead before it hit the ground. The second one ran, but there was no way Anakin could let a monster with such a bad temper escape. He reached out with the Force, lifting it off the ground and closing invisible bonds around its neck. Slowly he squeezed, baring his teeth in a snarl as the windpipe slowly collapsed, a final crunch breaking its neck and leaving it limp.

"Holy…" Xander began breathlessly.

"Same here, how did you do that?" Willy echoed, peeking over the wooden surface of the bar.

Anakin did not answer at once; he was breathing heavily, his body flowing with the power of the Force. It was an elixir, the power he commanded tempting him to do more, to reach out and destroy everyone in the room. They were all abominations, they all deserved to die, even Willy. What sort of man collaborates with such monsters, abiding such _evil_ for a quick buck?

Yet suddenly he caught a glimpse of a robed figure in the mirror over the bar. It was brief, but he knew the face. Qui Gonn Jinn. Anakin spun, but there was nobody behind him, no one to cast the reflection. His mind cleared slowly, and for one horrifying moment he could have sworn he heard a harsh mechanical rasping of breath in sync with his own.

Once more Darth Vader tried to claw his way out of his cage and once more Anakin brutally forced him back. It seemed to take forever but was in fact only moments where the touch of the Dark side faded, his anger subsiding. He reached down and helped Xander up, the bar going back to normal.

_One step at a time, one day at a time._

"Two more bodies for the garbage monster. Great." Willy exhaled. "Least they paid up front."

"First," Anakin lowered his voice. "Who is the man at the table? By himself?"

Willy looked over. "Mr. Groves? Believe me; you _don't_ want to bother Mr. Groves."

"Why not?"

"Because he's rich, he's powerful, and you wouldn't like him when he's angry."

"When he gets angry does he turn into a big green beast?" Xander asked helpfully.

"More red," Willy answered with a shrug. "If you do, try to make him leave first. Got enough cleaning to do without scraping you two off the ceiling."

Anakin led the way, walking over to Groves' table and pulling out two chairs, ignoring the way the other patrons in the bar started to drift to the other side of the bar, sitting down opposite him. 'Mr Groves' did not respond immediately, finishing his drink first before regarding them.

"So you two are Demon Hunters?"

"Yes." Anakin answered. "But only if they give us good reason."

Groves nodded. "Those two won't be missed, lot to be said for instinct, but more to be said for control. Little something which would have saved their lives."

"So what do you do here Mr. Groves?" Anakin asked. "You aren't human."

"No I'm not, I am a demon." He confirmed. "However as you probably know not all demons are evil. We have other motivations beside crush, kill, destroy."

"What's your motivation?" Xander worked up the nerve to ask.

"Profit."

"Well that makes a lot of sense actually."

Groves smiled. "I'm the chief executive of a major corporation, we manufacture solutions to problems."

"What sort of solutions?" Anakin asked.

"Our best selling product is the HE9 Artillery shell," he stated. "Though we also sell a variety of bombs, grenades and shaped charges. If it goes boom we probably made it."

"You're an arms dealer," Xander stated.

"Yep."

"You make weapons to kill people!"

"Bombs don't kill people, people kill people," Groves replied flatly. "I have no concern in how they are used."

"So you aren't in the arms industry for the death and destruction?" Xander frowned.

Groves chuckled. "Hell no, it just makes more money than selling carpet or used cars."

Xander shared a look with Anakin before continuing. "So you've never killed anyone?"

"Never."

The Jedi frowned. "He's telling the truth."

"You can see that?" Xander asked.

"Yes, and he's not lying," Anakin confirmed. "No malice, no appetite for destruction. Just greed."

"No different from my human peers." Groves shrugged. "It's business, nothing more, nothing less."

"So riddle me this," Xander posed. "What does a big corporate high roller do here in this cesspit?"

"Hey!" Willy called over. "I'll have you know I picked the décor myself!"

"Sorry," Xander called back. "Okay, not cesspit."

"Hive of scum and villainy," Anakin offered. "Which is technically accurate."

"I'm a demon," Groves answered simply. "Sometimes I need to remind myself of that, spend some time with my kin before I go completely native and start playing golf."

"Good point." Xander nodded. "Course mini golf is far superior, that windmill on the sixth is a true test of skill and manliness."

There was a moment of strained silence from the trio at the joke, before Xander looked away and Groves turned to face Anakin, the slightest twitch of a smile edging onto his face.

"We _all_ need to remember what we are inside." Groves fixed Anakin with a knowing stare. "Don't we?"

Anakin met the gaze without flinching. "Remembering is one thing, acting is another."

"So you can be evil inside as long as you don't act evil?"

"If you really were evil inside you wouldn't have a choice, the darkness would infect every action, even those made with the best intentions would only serve evil."

Groves nodded. "You know what you are talking about, I can sense it."

"I've seen a lot."

"So have I, four thousand years living among humans," Groves confirmed. "Know what I've discovered?"

"What?"

"People never change. Good, evil, whatever. If that is what you are, that is what you are."

"I disagree," Anakin said simply. "You are wrong."

"You may think that, but we both know evil never goes away" Groves declared, the smile twitching wider and becoming almost knowing. "_Maybe_ you can suppress it, maybe for a little while, but it's still in there waiting to take control again."

"This is turning into a boring conversation." Anakin tilted his head. "You will help us combat evil."

Groves laughed loudly. "Good one! I like your humor!"

"No, you don't understand." Anakin modulated his voice, utterly calm and hypnotic, hooking Groves while he reached into the mind of the demon with the Force. "You will help us combat evil."

"I will help you combat evil" Groves agreed in a flat voice, and Xander felt his jaw drop open.

"You will provide me with a house, a car, and finances sufficient to support me for several months."

"As you wish."

"You will then return home and develop a new business plan."

"I will return home and develop a new business plan."

"You will switch to manufacturing teddy bears and other children's toys, and then give half of your profits to orphans."

"I will switch to manufacturing teddy bears and other children's toys, and then give half of my profits to orphans."

"Good." Anakin nodded. "You have preparations to make."

"I have preparations to make," Groves continued repeating.

"Move along."

The suited demon stood from the table and left at once, already making a call on his mobile phone.

"What. The. Hell?" Xander emphasized every word.

"The Force can have a strong affect on the weak minded." Anakin stood. "We should leave."

"Did he just promise to give you all that stuff?"

"Yes, and don't worry, he can afford it," Anakin stated. "He will still live a comfortable life, it will just benefit others around him now, too. Including orphans."

"And you."

"Technically I am an orphan." Anakin winked.

"But how do you do that?" Xander followed him outside the door. "Can I do that?"

"With training." Anakin answered, noticing a scraggly man approaching them. "Watch."

"Hey," the man rasped. "Wanna buy some crack?"

"You don't want to sell me crack," Anakin commanded.

"I don't want to sell you crack," the man repeated.

"You want to go home and rethink your life."

"I want to go home and rethink my life."

Xander remained entirely impressed as the drug dealer shuffled away shaking his head.

"Great stones of Zeus!"

"It is a useful asset to a Jedi, a method of avoiding conflict and proceeding efficiently with a mission." Anakin stated. "Within reason."

"Ever use it to pick up girls?"

"No." Anakin said. "Not ever."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Well I suppose a guy like you wouldn't need to." Xander huffed. "_Me_ on the other hand…"

"Don't forget Cordelia so quickly. She has a great deal of inner strength and certainty," Anakin mentioned. "And you needed no mind tricks to win her affection."

"Yeah, but, well…"

"Recognizing free will is a key part of being a Jedi," Anakin said strictly. "With the power of the Force comes a responsibility to use it wisely, for if you don't it will destroy you and everything you love."

Xander nodded. "Okay, got it, not for free candy."

"Judging how best to use this gift to make the world a better place is the hardest thing to learn. Far harder than mastering the Force is knowing how to use it," Anakin spoke. "That is what separates a Jedi Knight from a Jedi Master, and why even I still have much left to learn."

"So what do we do next?" Xander asked.

"I have seen a house near the coast, a mansion set in a _particular_ location. With Mr. Groves' aid I will acquire it."

"Then what?"

"Then my young friend, when you're _ready_, your training begins."

************************

The Bronze was bumping tonight. The place was jammed to capacity and was full of activity and energy as the young people of Sunnydale tried to unwind from a long day. Onstage the Dingoes were playing a set and doing a superb job of getting people to dance; the dance floor itself was filled to the point of overflowing.

Looking past the moving crowds Xander spotted Willow standing serenely, gazing up on stage with a loving and yet shy expression on her face. Everyone seemed to be having a good time without a care in the world. Xander noted all of this with a heavy sigh; he just wasn't feeling it tonight. It had been three days since the mother of all revelations had practically smacked him in the face, yet he was no closer to answering this fateful question then when Anakin had dropped it into his lap.

He thought he should feel joy and elation at the thought of finally not being the only one in the group who had nothing to contribute - other than his good looks and witty commentary of course. He could finally be the hero he always wanted to be, to be something he could always be proud of, that Buffy would be proud of. And now that he had it he wasn't so sure anymore, funny how things worked like that.

From the moment Anakin had arrived in their lives he seemed larger than life. He was everything Xander had ever desired to be. Cool, confident, wise and charismatic. His power was truly and utterly awe inspiring, giving him abilities that could match, and Xander strongly suspected, surpass the gifts of a Slayer.

So why was he hesitating? Why was he sitting here at the Bronze brooding like dead boy when he should be jumping at this opportunity?

Because he was afraid, afraid he could never truly stack up to the heroes who he fought side by side with on a daily basis. He was just Xander, goofy, lovable, loyal, _normal_ Xander.

They were his friends, closer to him then his own family. There was nothing he would not do for them, no hardship he would not endure.

For over two days he had been brooding in his bedroom alone, until Willow and Oz had dragged him out to the Bronze. They were determined to break his somber mood with some good Bronzing, which they hadn't done since Buffy left. To some extent it was working, it gave him some perspective to think rather than the stark silence and darkness of his room.

Be careful what you wish for. It was the oldest saying in the book, and until this very moment he had never honestly grasped the depth of that warning.

It wasn't the first time he had received his heart's desire only to turn away for the good of his friends, but this time, would turning away be better or worse? He could be an ally, but was that who he was? Was he Jedi material? Would accepting this role kill the person they all knew as Xander Harris, creating someone who just wasn't him instead?

Beyond the fear, beyond the responsibility, beyond the changes, he could feel one more question. Did he want to be a hero? Did he want to stand with the great and good, a target for all that was terrible and bad, or did he wish to remain obscure, one of the crowd, safe in anonymity, obscured by normalcy?

He had stood out before, but he had known inside that in the end he was a normal man and he could always walk away and lead a normal life if he wanted, if he really, really wanted. Something his friends couldn't. The sacrifice he was being asked to make was to give up the chance of ever going back to a normal life.

He told himself he didn't care, that he would stand by his friends, but deep, deep inside it was there. A guilty hope that he could always just leave. If he accepted this destiny, he could _never_ turn back, he could _never_ lead a normal life, he would be committed until his dying day, and this choice would define his life and every action, every decision, every breath he would ever make for the rest of his days.

Just like the choices his friends made ruled them, so this choice would rule him.

_'__Now that you know that you have the power to help the ones you care about, could you ignore it? If your friends really needed you, but you had turned your back on this one opportunity, could you forgive yourself?__'_

But in the end, it was really that simple.

"No I couldn't," Xander murmured inaudibly, his voice drowned out by the sound of the band. In the end that's what it always came back to. His friends, those closest to him, he would never forgive himself if they ever got hurt and he had the power to stop it.

Taking a long drag of his soda, Xander sat back and looked around. There was Cordy talking rapidly at some poor girl and gesturing at her clothing. The girl looked very intimidated, meaning Cordy was probably berating her for whatever it was she was wearing. Xander smiled wanly then looked back toward the stage. Oz was there on stage strumming away at his guitar yet every so often he would look to Willow and smile warmly. It said a lot about the powerful effect Willow had on him to pull him away from his main passion in life. And Willow, she was just standing and watching Oz as if he were the only thing in the world that mattered.

Looking across from him he couldn't help but notice the empty chair where Buffy usually sat. If only he had been stronger he could have been there for her. Now she was gone and there was nothing any of them could do about it. He had been more of a hindrance then a help during Angelus's rampage but now it could all be different, all he had to do was make that fateful plunge.

He couldn't change the past, but maybe, just maybe, with Anakin's help he could shape the future; to be a hero just like Buffy and Anakin.

He took a deep breath and looked out over the Bronze at his friends and made his choice.

"Xander Harris!" Xander turned to see the displeased face of Cordelia. He had learned to fear that face.

"Yes Cordy?" Xander smiled.

"Xander! I want to dance, so stop being all broody-ish and dance with me!"

"How can I say no to that?" Xander said.

He took Cordelia's hand and lead her to the dance floor just as the Dingoes finished their set. Willow and Oz joined them. As a slow dance number started up, Xander drew Cordelia near while Oz did the same to Willow. As Xander looked back and forth between his friends and his girlfriend an odd sense of peace overcame him and he smiled. No more worries, no more fears he would simply enjoy this moment with the ones he cared about most, and that was something worth fighting for .

************

Standing on the rafters looking downward toward the crowded dance floor Anakin stood alone and unnoticed; his arms across his chest smiling down into the crowd, the first _real_ smile he'd worn since his rebirth. For the past several days he had felt Xander through the Force as he reflected on this enormous life changing decision. The Force had shown him the path that Xander would probably take, but that was a poor substitute for being there to witness it.

But as he stood there watching from above he could see the choice had been made; the seed had been planted, and now all Anakin had to do was to make sure to guide him on the proper path. Staring down at the others he couldn't help but wonder what made Xander different than the others. They were all heroes, he would not deny that. They all courage and they had all lived through events which they should never have had to endure; thrown into the fire without much in the way of a choice.

And then it hit him, they were the 'Chosen Ones', Anakin realized, those unlucky few picked by fate, the powers that be, or by chance to fulfill some grand purpose…a destiny. They were the ones chosen to carry on the fight in a World that could not, or would not embrace it. Buffy had Slayerhood thrust upon her one night with no warning, forever changing her overnight from a young girl with a bright and hopeful future to a Slayer fated to face numerous atrocities before she herself was fated to succumb to a violent end.

Oz had been bitten by a werewolf which had forced him into a never ending struggle against the animal that now lurked inside him, something he would have to live with for the end of his days. It had forced him to make serious changes to his lifestyle and join this band of upstart heroes that he might otherwise not have.

Giles's quest for redemption was much like Anakin's; atoning for his past wrongs. While you could say he had a choice in the matter, he knew deep down that was not the case, that there was only one choice left to him.

Willow was slowly delving further into her magic, reading tomes and practicing the few defensive spells she had learned rigorously, it was something Anakin had picked up on very quickly, but it seemed the others hadn't. To see the progress she had made in just one week was impressive. And yet it deeply unnerved Anakin, because he couldn't help but wonder what would happen if she continued down this path without proper supervision and training. It was not something he wanted to give much thought on.

Cordelia had made it known she had no intention of staying in the fight. Given the choice she had bluntly stated she was 'outta here' as quickly as she could, however circumstances (living in Sunnydale) had forced her into this fight as much as any of the other Scoobie gang; in which she had become a target as much as any of them had. Just like the others, she had been forced into the fight merely to stay alive.

But standing head and shoulders above the rest was the weakest, and yet the bravest of them. Xander Harris. Unlike the others _he_ had been given the choice _they_ had been denied. Where they had been forced into action, he had chosen it, where they had railed against fate; he had given himself over freely. That spoke of true depth of character and spirit very few could claim, not even himself. They were the chosen ones and yet as Anakin turned to leave he couldn't help but think the best of them was the one who chose. And that made Xander Harris the true hero out of them all.


	6. Chapter 5 Ripples

**Chosen Ones, Chapter 5: Ripples**

**WolfRam and Hart**

**Los Angeles Branch**

A slight rapping on the heavy wooden door caught the attention of Holland Manners who looked up from his desk just as the double doors opened. He was quick to note the presence of Lindsey McDonald; one of his rising stars in the firm, the young man confidently entered his office holding a plain manila envelope with an amused grin on his face. Switching his phone from one cheek to the other Holland held up a finger to still Lindsey from speaking then returned his attention back to the phone.

"Yes, yes I know," Holland said somewhat irritably. "Make sure he understands that he signed the deal in good faith with the firm more than a hundred years ago. Yes, I…yes I _know_ the contract stated quite clearly; eternal life in exchange for his first born, which is a damn good deal if you ask me, too good in fact. _I_ would have made him sacrifice _all_ of his children....well it's the price he has to pay; he can't renege on the deal now. Inform him we have a contract and that he can't back out now, that if he tries he'll lose his second born to the sacrifice as well...It's too _late_ for _that_, he should have thought about that earlier....then inform him the Senior Partners take a _very _dim view of trying to break a contract, even from one in their employ!"

Lindsey could not help but smile slightly at that last statement; it had been delivered with such an exquisite _threat _towards whoever was bringing him the bad news. Shooting the messenger was a time honored tradition at Wolfram and Heart after all, and if it eliminated one of the other high level associates competing with him for advancement, then this could prove to be a most entertaining sidebar today.

Unfortunately, the silence from Holland dragged on as whoever was on the other end of the line worked to placate his boss, Hollands look of annoyance slowly muting to one of satisfaction, a tight smile finally edging its way on to his face.

"Yes Lilah, an _excellent_ suggestion I must say…I'll leave it in your capable hands then. Report back when you have something."

Lindsey managed to keep _his_ amused grin in place, but internally he couldn't help but sigh as he watched Lilah, as always, squirm her way out of taking the blame for screwing up yet _another _situation. He didn't know how she did it, but somehow she had managed to dodge every failure that should have long ago terminated her employment with Wolfram and Heart.

Still, even _her _luck had to run out…some day. And in the meantime, he could do worse than show how useful a _real _employee could be to Holland, stepping up to the desk as his boss hung up the phone and rubbed a tired hand over his face, leaning back in his chair with an almost contemplative air about him.

"What is the world coming too?" Holland finally asked, his gaze still directed at the ceiling, "when a member of 'Black Thorn' decides to have an unexpected change of his dark heart, now that it's time for the firm to collect their payment? How _far_ have their standards fallen if they let a little thing like _love_ get in the way of immortality? It's ridiculous!"

"Well, sir, they've always been a bit full of themselves" Lindsey smoothly inserted himself into the conversation, irrespective of if Holland had been talking rhetorically as he stepped up to the desk. "They're the best in the business and they know it".

Holland turned his gaze down from the ceiling at that, offering him a slightly tired smile and gesturing for him to take a seat, which Lindsey did with aplomb, reclining back comfortably as he placed the manila folder down on Holland's desk.

"You're right, they do know it, but just because they work for the Senior Partners doesn't give them the right to renege on a contract."

"The Senior Partners must be pressing for a quick and favorable resolution on this issue if you're so worked up over it, Sir. Is there anything I can do to help?" Lindsey asked with an -almost- sincere look of concern on his face.

"Lilah has the situation well in hand; the matter will be dealt with." Holland dismissed the issue with a hint of finality in his voice, turning to face Lindsey as he sat up in his chair, an 'all business' expression on his face. "Now, what can I do for you Lindsey?"

"My report, sir, on the latest developments in Sunnydale," he replied smoothly, leaning forward to tap it gently before once more reclining back into his seat.

"What can you tell me?" Holland asked, pointedly not making the slightest move to open the proffered folder, clearly wanting to make sure that this _was _his work and not some underlings passed off as his.

Holland was very much a 'hands on' man; it was one of the things Lindsey admired about him, and he offered an easy smile as he leaned back and started to go through the report he had carefully put together.

"Well sir, our operative can indeed confirm that the Slayer is no longer present. The teams we've sent in to provoke a response reported back to their handlers that they didn't encounter her."

"That's unusual for her," Holland said thoughtfully "At least from what we have on file. Buffy Summers is said to be most annoyingly…_persistent_ in her duties as the Slayer. Unless she's moved on from Sunnydale".

"That's rather unlikely sir, considering she hasn't graduated high school yet."

"What about her parents? Relatives?" Holland asked. Lindsey shrugged slightly.

"No sightings of her at her residence in Sunnydale, but her mother remains. As for the father, our contract with Hank Summers remains in effect. He has estranged himself from his daughter and severed all ties, as per our deal in bailing him out of his recent financial troubles with his business."

"Good, good." Holland smiled. "But keep an eye on him anyway, only a fool would try to pull a fast one on WolfRam and Hart. And whileHank Summers doesn't strike me as a fool, it's best to keep an eye on the situation all the same."

"I've already put a team on it sir" Lindsey said with a tight smile that earned him a nod of approval from Holland, who finally reached over and took up the file before leaning back and starting to skim through it. He made it halfway through, then suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked up, his expression wary. "_What_ is this about _another_ Slayer?"

"Boston, sir," Lindsey replied. "We've only recently begun to hear about this one, she goes by the name of Faith."

"Quite the looker isn't she?" Holland smirked, practically drooling over the picture of a gorgeous brunette in tight black leather smiling seductively at something off camera.

"Aren't they all?" Lindsey agreed in his most sycophantic tone, even as he internally filed away Holland's reaction to the picture. So the old fart had a thing for underage girls did he? A couple of underage prostitutes and a video camera could do wonders to take advantage of that situation…when the time was right.

"What do we know about her? What are her strengths and weaknesses, anything we can exploit?"

"It's too early to tell concerning her capabilities, beyond those expected of any Slayer of course. Our surveillance teams are only in the initial phases of gathering information on her. We know she's already linked up with her Watcher and has had an immediate negative impact on the local vampire community."

"What else?" Holland pressed and Lindsey shrugged slightly, trying to recall everything his sources had managed to pull from this 'Faiths' public –and private- records.

"She's been in foster care since the age of seven; going through as many as eight different families. Father dead at a young age, and her mother in lockup; serving a nice long prison sentence on multiple drug related charges. She's dropped out of High School, in which she's had multiple disciplinary actions taken against her for fighting, but she hasn't had any trouble with the law, remarkably enough. Other than that we know next to nothing, but our intelligence gathering ops are just getting started" he cautioned his boss, getting a slow nod in return.

"Boston...Boston..." Holland mused to himself, hisgaze becoming somewhat distant. "Doesn't Kakistos run his operations on the eastern seaboard out of Boston?"

"Yes, he does sir, but no request for any assistance has come from him. By all accounts, Faith hasn't truly begun to lay into his organization...yet."

"She's a Slayer, she will, sooner rather than later." Holland frowned as a thought occurred to him. "This would seem to confirm our earlier theory that Buffy Summers was indeed killed in battle with Angelus."

"Possible sir, but I don't think so."

Holland stared at him for several very long seconds before simply saying "Explain".

"There were rumors of another Slayer, active in Jamaica as little as three weeks ago, who was also spotted in Sunnydale around the time of the recent chaos."

"_Three_ Slayers?" Holland asked in a hollow, yet suddenly far more sinister voice, and Lindsey felt warning sirens go off in the back of his head, leaning forward quickly to reassure his boss.

"No sir. _That_ one's dead, we can confirm it, killed by Drusilla in fact. Our working theory is that this particular Slayer was killed which in turn resulted inthe activation of Faith, we're still not even sure how two Slayers is possible but that's another matter. The current status of Buffy Summers still remains unknown, but on our best evidence, the Slayer line appears to have passed from her".

"Find her anyway, we need to know what she's up to, and do our best to counter it if necessary. Discreetly of course".

"Of course" Lindsey smiled, and Holland nodded, clearly dismissing the situation as he turned his attention back to the report in his hands.

"Tell me, what actions are we taking against this Faith?"

"For the moment, none sir, but when Kakistos comes calling, as we know he will, we will provide our dossier on Faith and discreetly point him in the right direction."

"Always good for us in the long term to provide outstanding service to our clients, and Kakistos is one of the firm's first and most respected. Give him what he needs when he calls us, but make sure no evidence of our involvement can be traced back to us," Holland ordered. It was typically how WolfRam and Hart operated.

"It's already being handled."

"I'll make sure to look over the rest of this later," Holland said. "Is there anything else, Lindsey?" Holland asked. He rose from his seat to a nearby drink cabinet and pulled out an expensive bottle of brandy and poured two glasses then he looked to Lindsey.

Lindsey fidgeted in his seat slightly and frowned, which immediately drew a curious look from Holland. "What is it?"

"There _is_ something else, sir," Lindsey said flatly**, **letting all the sycophantic humor drain from his face. Holland frowned and moved back to his desk, silently handing one of the glasses to Lindsey.

"Something more on the Slayers?" Holland hazarded.

"No sir, this isn't about the Slayers. In fact it's something else that's only recently come to our attention, even though I have to stress we have no verification to its authenticity, but it _is_ something out of Sunnydale."

"Go on," Holland said as he took his seat.

"We've heard rumors of someone in Sunnydale attempting to pick up where the Slayer left off in defending the primary Hellmouth."

"Happens from time to time, they typically don't last long," Holland snorted into his drink.

"Yes sir, but according to our sources this new Demon Hunter is incredibly strong, stronger then a Slayer in fact."

"Really?" Holland asked, smirking slightly, as it wasn't everyday he heard something like this.

Lindsey nodded. "Yes sir, in fact according to our reports it was this Demon Hunter that took out one of the teams we sent to provoke the Slayer into responding."

Now Holland's smirk started to fade. "Can this be confirmed?" Holland asked as he lowered his drink.

"Not as yet sir, but we're working on it."

"Do we at leasthave a name?" Holland asked, raising the glass again to his lips as he looked down at Faiths picture yet again.

"Actually we do, Anakin Skywalker," Lindsey relayed.

The glass of brandy stopped just short of Holland's lips, he lowered it very, _very_ slowly to the desk with a dull _thud_."What was that name again?"

Lindsey didn't like _that _tone. He didn't like it at _all_.

"Anakin Skywalker, sir" he repeated in a carefully neutral tone. "Is he someone we know?" Lindsey asked as he saw the color drain from Holland's face.

"That's...impossible....it-it can't be _him! _He's been dead for… then that would mean they completed…" Holland murmured to himself.

"Can't be who, sir?" Lindsey asked. Holland's reaction had certainly raised _his_ interests.

"This had better be some kind of joke Lindsey! While I appreciate humor to keep the office spirits up, this one is certainly _not_ funny!" Holland snapped angrily.

Lindsey blinked before recovering instantly.

Showing fear in this situation would be a sure way to make himself a target for Holland to vent on, and he fought to keep his expression carefully controlled.

"Sir I assure you, I have no idea who this guy is, nor does my contact in Sunnydale."

Holland nodded absently then he looked up to Lindsey. "Has he displayed any unusual abilities?"

"Unusual in what way sir?" Lindsey asked, tryingnot to make it sound like he was saying 'Our business is _with _the unusual you dumbass', but from the flash in Hollands eyes, he decided he might be starting to push his luck.

"Anything with magic" Holland said in a tightly controlled tone.

"The report is a bit sketchy, but I believe telekinesis was stated as one of his observed abilities, but nothing else of note," Lindsey relayed after flipping through the report quickly for the scant details their local sources had reported in. Holland downed the entire contents of his glass in one gulp and nodded absently. As Lindsey looked closer he could see Holland's face had a sickly pallor to it**, **and he decided to risk it, leaning in closer as he kept eye contact. "Sir…is there something I need to know?"

Lindsey's prompting seemed to snap Holland from whatever stupor he was in.

"Have your people in Sunnydale continue monitoring - this is a top priority Lindsey. I want pictures, a dossier, magical and physical assessment, the works."

"I'll put our best people on it sir." Lindsey stood, sensing the dismissal in the words. "But it might help if I had an idea of who I was dealing with. You clearly know of this man sir," Lindsey stated.

"We'll wait for the assessment first, Lindsey. But if he is who I believe him to be, the Senior Partners are going to be _very_ interested in this." Holland smiled at Lindsey. "This'll be your case Lindsey. Handle this well and your future with this firm will be guaranteed for life.

"Sir, I'd still like to know who I'm dealing with," Lindsey pressed, fighting the gleeful surge of excitement at that promise, keeping himself calm as he tried to get every scrap of information he could about this new player on the scene.

"All in good time Lindsey, all in good time. Just get me what I get it quickly."

***********

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

The door opened hesitantly to show a woman with blonde hair and subtle beauty standing hopeful as if expecting to see someone other than the person who now stood in the doorway. Though the smile never faded it didn't quite reach the eyes and the eyes themselves showed only the slightest hint of disappointment.

"Mr. Giles, welcome, please come in."

"Thank you Joyce." Giles smiled politely. He stepped into the house but already Giles could feel the awkward tension between them jump up a notch. He took a seat opposite of her on the couch.

"Can I get you anything? Tea perhaps?"

"Ah, no, thank you, I just wanted to stop by to see how you were doing," Giles said.

"As fine as can be expected I suppose," Joyce related honestly with a slightly bitter laugh. "Willow and Xander come by often to check up on me." Joyce smiled warmly. "They're really good kids."

Giles smiled in complete agreement. "The best."

"Somehow I don't think you came by just to check up on me," Joyce Summers reasoned with a somewhat tired smile.

"No, no I haven't. I'm leaving for Los Angeles today; I have reason to believe that Buffy might be there. I felt you had a right to know in person that I'm still looking for her."

Once again the hopeful expression returned but the awkward tension remained. "I see…is there any chance you'll find her?"

"Possibly," Giles replied delicately. "I don't want to get your hopes up Joyce, but I will not rest until I find her and bring her home."

"Home…so she can fight evil," Joyce said somewhat sharply, her tone holding the slightest hint of an accusation. Giles couldn't say anything to that and looked away.

Joyce also averted her gaze and took a steadying breath before looking at Giles. "Is it bad out there? You know, with Buffy being gone."

"Not as bad as it could be, thankfully. We've recently made a new acquaintance that has helped us keep the Vampire population in check."

"Oh…good," Joyce said, once again the awkward tension in the room could be felt. Joyce suddenly perked up as if something struck her.

"Is this person any good? You know at keeping the streets safe?" Joyce asked.

Giles snorted "That's putting it mildly."

Joyce smiled brightly at that "Then couldn't this person take over for Buffy? She's only a young girl Mr. Giles. She has her whole life ahead of her."

Giles expression became weary at that question. "That's not…not really up to me…Joyce. And Buffy…when we find her she…she may want to continue. I can't really see her going along with it either." Giles suddenly realized he should depart before the conversation got out of hand. Joyce was a mother trying to protect her only child. It was only reasonable she wouldn't understand nor want her daughter to partake in the burdens one of the Chosen was forced to bear.

"Well…I ah…I should probably go." Giles rose quickly. Joyce also rose and followed him to the door. "I have one more stop to make before leaving and I should probably go, I still have to pick up the others."

"Good luck Mr. Giles, and please find her."

Giles smiled thinly, nodded then left without another word.

********************

Xander had to grit his teeth a little as Giles took the corner a little too fast, the bouncy suspension of his Citroen DS almost scraping the bodywork on the road.

"I tell ya every trip in this car is a thrill ride, sure we're being overtaken by people jogging, but travel in this car is like a mystery. Will we get there or won't we?"

"If you don't like it you can always walk." Giles grunted from the driver's seat.

"Nah, we'd be too bored waiting for you to arrive." He quipped back, then resisted the urge to snicker as the poor car started to struggle its way up a rather gentle incline. "Would it help if I got out and pushed?"

"It would help if you got out." Giles retorted. "This car is a piece of art; it isn't really built for moving a large group of American High School seniors."

"How is four a large group?" Cordelia asked brusquely from the front passenger seat. "Besides, Oz only counts as half."

"Hey!" Willow shot from the middle of the back seat, Oz on one side of her and Xander on the other.

"Semi valid point." Oz allowed. "They wouldn't let me on the corkscrew ride at Fun Factory. Fascists."

"I hated that place, how can it be a theme park with so many clowns?" Xander shuddered.

"The theme of the park _was_ clowns Xander." Cordelia sighed. "Hence, you know, the clowns."

"Fascist clowns." Oz added with emphasis.

"Xander doesn't like clowns." Willow said. "Long story."

"He got chased by one as a kid and wet himself?" Cordelia guessed. The entire car went very silent. "Oh God**,** I'm right aren't I? I'm too good at this; I should work for a detective agency. Supermodel by day, crime fighter at night. Oh yeah!"

"In order to change the subject, we're nearly there." Giles cleared his throat. "Serenity Valley."

He turned the car heavily into the new road, the overburdened vehicle coming close to hitting the curb again, its engine making sounds that had most of the cars passengers starting to question in earnest if they _would_ actually make it. Fortunately however, the road was long, straight and lined with trees. It also happened to contain a dozen of the biggest homes in the county.

"You didn't tell me he lived _here_!" Cordelia squealed. "This is Serenity Valley! These are the people who treat my Daddy like I treat you!"

"Wow, someone fell on their feet." Willow noted.

"Do you have a house number?" Giles asked.

"These houses don't have numbers; they have their own Zip codes." Xander remarked. "Oh, and also numbers. Nine."

They proceeded down the street past the gated mansions, most of them having large cars in their drives and immaculate lawns. Each of the buildings easily cost a couple of million, probably several million, and were home to businessmen or developers. Some made their money legitimately, others less so. Some came for the view, others for the Hellmouth.

Like most of the town there was usually something dark below the surface.

Number Nine was right at the end, a tall stone wall and heavy iron gates blocking their way. It sat on a lot more land than the other homes, so much so that the house was not visible from the road, a solid tree line deeper inside the block cutting off any easy view from the street of the house itself**.**

"He owns the biggest house on central rich street." Cordelia shook his head. "Sorry

Xander, if you fall into a coma I'm not waiting for you."

"Touching."

"How did he get this place?" Willow asked. "Something's not on the square here."

"Long story." Xander explained. "But it's legit, trust me."

Giles halted before the gate, looking for an intercom.

"Where do we knock?"

Suddenly a pair of green beams ran over the car, sweeping back and forth for a couple of seconds before the gate opened.

"Oh man that was funky." Xander winced. "Did we just get scanned?"

"Lasers." Willow reasoned. "A laser scan, very accurate."

"He can do that?"

"I've only ever heard of it used in a lab, too much interference outdoors." She replied.

"But theoretically, sure."

"Not theory anymore." Oz remarked.

"If he fried my brain I'm going to sue." Cordelia complained. "Oh no, did it cook my makeup? How's my foundation?"

Giles drove up through the gates, the iron bars shutting behind them, and travelled up the winding drive lined with trees on both sides. After a few loops they arrived in front of the house, a three storey sand stone property with two towers at each corner and a large medieval style gatehouse inspired porch over the front door. It looked like a miniature castle with baroque arches and Norman windows.

Xander could only shake his head. "Welcome to Wayne Manor."

"Rather impressive for California." Giles allowed. "Reminds me of Balmoral Castle."

In the drive was Anakin's car, a bright yellow Dodge Charger with black stripes down the middle, echoing the colors of his old fighter. It was a muscle car, raw power and Anakin had spent a little time tuning it for maximum performance. It suited him very well.

Giles applied the brakes and turned off the engine with a chug, stepping out of the car.

"Don't slam the doors, the last time someone slammed the doors the fender fell off." The four teens couldn't help but snicker as they took in the differences between Giles's classic and the raw power of Anakin's Charger.

"It's like…embarrassing really." Cordelia snickered as she stepped out of the car. "I've seen Chiwawas that looked more impressive." Giles rolled his eyes and grumbled under his breath.

After carefully closing Giles' car doors the group made their way to the front door, striking a heavy iron door knocker on the thick wooden edifice before them.

"Welcome." An electronic voice spoke. "Mr Giles, Cordelia, Willow, Oz and Spander, please enter my home."

"Spander?" Xander scoffed. "Who the hell's Spander?"

"Guess he hasn't got all the tech bugs worked out yet then." Willow announced with relish. "Come on Spander."

"Stop it! Not funny!"

They opened the door and entered the main reception hall, a dark marble floored space with wood paneled walls and two vast staircases arching up on either side meeting in the middle and accessing the second level.

"I smell money." Cordelia announced

"Greetings." The electronic voice said again. "My master is in the rear courtyard; please proceed ahead through the main corridor."

"That way." Oz reasoned, pointing through an arch beneath the stairs.

The corridor was quite long giving them an impression of how big the house really was. It was larger than most of the party had seen, only Giles had been to larger properties, the vast Baronial estates of Europe and the country retreats of the Watchers Council. Even so this house was remarkable, and given Californian Real Estate prices probably worth its weight in gold.

The corridor had a couple of suits of armour leaning against a wall along with some weapons and paintings. A quick check told Giles they weren't simple decorations, but practical swords, maces and spears…all sharp and in working order, ready to be pulled down at a seconds notice. Functional as well as decorative. Interesting.

Finally they emerged into the courtyard, a very European styled area with rich flower beds, hedges and a fountain of an Angel trickling in the middle. From the stairs led a stone path to the rear of the courtyard, immaculately lined with orange trees, the path itself lead to the end of the property to a modest gate. From their vantage point overlooking the courtyard the Scoobies could see that gate opened to reveal yet another pathway that spiraled down the plateau to the beach. It was breathtakingly beautiful. The scoobies moved forward in wonder, taking in the immaculate surroundings with wide mouthed awe until they finally came to their destination.

On a bench facing the fountain sat Anakin, meditating in the centre of the landscaped garden.

"Welcome." He declared, opening his eyes and standing to greet them. "How do you like my home?"

"I think the King of Vulgaria wants it back." Willow said with a cheeky smile. "How did you get this place?"

"It was a gift to help us fight the good fight against evil." He replied, which _was_ true. From a certain point of view anyway. Obi-Wan's old habits had clearly rubbed off on him a little too well."What can I do for you?"

"I'm leaving for Los Angeles soon, with things settled down I feel its time I started looking for Buffy."

"And you wish for me to look after the others while you are away." Anakin surmised.

"Yes." Giles nodded.

"Then it will be done, Mr. Giles." Anakin motioned toward the house. "Come, let me give you the full tour." Anakin motioned them back inside. He led them through the well-furnished Mansion, showing them room after room; each equipped and furnished as if expecting occupants, until they returned to the main reception hall. Anakin paid particular note to show one or two small rooms that had been converted to house all manner of emergency supplies from food, medical supplies, flares, and clothing to anything else he could think of. This more than anything showed the scoobies that while the mansion was lavish it also served a very practical purpose.

"Now _this_ is a house!" Xander exclaimed in excitement once they had completed the tour.

"It's quite nice actually." Rupert Giles said as they finished the tour of the Mansion, Willow, Cordelia, Oz and Xander behind him. "Very ahh… different to most mansions you find here in Sunnydale, very bright and inviting rather than dark and foreboding."

"Well duh." Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Most of the Mansions in Sunnydale were actually built by the same guy, who had this big Gothic fetish or something. At least until he got to this one. Don't know why exactly," Cordelia offered with a shrug. "When we first moved to Sunnydale daddy made a stink about buying this place, but the cost was a bit out of even _his_ price range," she said.

"How much are we talking about?" Willow asked.

"A few mill I think," Cordelia said after a moment. "I can't really remember, I was really little," Cordelia smiled shyly. "I _do_ remember running though this house when we were looking at it. I pretended to be this little princess locked away in a castle, there was a top level on the third floor that I ran to, to look out over the kingdom. I was waiting for a handsome knight to come rescue me," Cordelia said with a hint of a smile.

"That's so cute!" Willow smiled. Oz and Xander exchanged expressions that involved a great deal of eyes rolling, Anakin trying not to grin too much at them as they did.

"Anyway this house is huge; it's at least twice as big as any here in Serenity Valley and thankfully lacks the creepy gothic look to it. No one knows why the guy decided to change the décor when he built it, but he did," Cordelia continued. She moved to the front door and opened it then stepped in the clear morning air to study her surroundings more carefully, paying particular attention to the lush and beautiful gardens.

Looking up the Scoobies couldn't help but notice the sun was high overhead and seemed to glow particularly strong on the mansion, as if seeming to favor it above all others.

"Wow, you have enough room to house three large families with more than enough room to spare," Willow said.

"Which does serves one purpose," Anakin acknowledged.

"What's that?" Oz asked.

"In the event of an emergency and you need shelter or a place of refuge; this place is always available to you, _all_ of you," Anakin said sincerely. "You have all shown me great kindness and I will not forget it."

"Thank you Anakin," Giles said in gratitude for the Scoobies, simultaneously shooting a warning look at Cordelia…whose expression had been that she might just start declaring an emergency –of any kind- whenever she was within twenty kilometers of this place.

"Uhhm, how exactly are you paying for all of this again?" Willow asked delicately. "I mean no offense or anything but you weren't exactly rolling in the dough when we met you."

"A recent associate of mine has had a revelation concerning the path in life he was taking. I merely showed him a different path and gave him a gentle nudge in the right direction."

"And he repaid you by buying this expensive mansion for you?" Willow reiterated sounding both incredulous and slightly skeptical.

"Yeah he did," Xander jumped in. "I was there when it happened. You should have seen it Wills, there were like flashing lights and angels and the sounds of something heavenly in the background as his eyes were opened to the truth. It was awe inspiring, nearly brought me to tears." Xander said solemnly.

"Wow, really?" Willow asked, her expression turning somewhat awed at his story…until Xander lost it.

"No, not really," he replied, his solemn expression dissolving into a snicker echoed by several other people around the two of them.

"Xander!" Willow exclaimed with a mock scowl of amusement.

Anakin smiled at the interplay between the group of friends. "There is nothing to worry about Willow; this place is mine by your laws. I even have the deed in my name, all of it done legally," Anakin explained.

Willow was still skeptical but accepted this with a nod and a shrug. She'd get the details from Xander later…when he wasn't being Xander**.**

"Well I like it," Oz piped up. "So what are you going to call it?"

"I was thinking of calling it home," Anakin said.

'Nah, you can't call it that; I mean it _is_ that, but it's too big for a name so casual and mundane. It just doesn't do it justice." Oz smiled with a shake of his head. "A place like this deserves its own _theme_."

"I nominate Castle Greyskull!" Xander piped up instantly.

"Absolutely not," Anakin said flatly.

"The bat cave?"

"No."

"Fortress of doom?"

"No."

"How about the Enclave?" Oz offered.

Anakin raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What made you think of that?"

"I don't know." Oz shrugged. "It just came to me, seemed fitting."

Xander came up next to Anakin. "Personally I thought the watchtower was a real winner," he said in dejection.

"Well as entertaining as this is I'm afraid I must be off; it's my hope to be in Los Angeles by at least three. If I leave now I just might make it. I trust you'll look after them while I'm gone, Anakin?"

"You have my Word, Mr. Giles," Anakin answered.

"I need to go too," Oz stated. "Got practice and the Dingoes have a set tonight at the Bronze."

"Cordelia's taking me shopping," Willow said. By her tone she was trying to remain upbeat, but you could hear the clear undercurrent of a groan. Cordelia seemed not to notice, or she just didn't care and gently wrapped an arm around Willow's shoulder and not so gently leading her to the path.

"Relax Willow, I know exactly what you need, a nice hair cut, facial and pedicure not to mention a new blouse that'll…Xander, aren't you coming?" Cordelia turned back once she noticed her boyfriend was not following them.

"Nah, I'm going to stay behind and hang with Anakin for a bit, you two go do your girlie thing," Xander said.

"Ok, later." Cordelia turned on her heels.

"Bye, bye," Willow waved as they both turned to leave

"So Giles, the probability of your car, like dying on us-"

"--Cordelia will you stop being so tiresome…."

Xander waited for a few moments to make sure they were out of earshot before turning to face Anakin.

"I've thought about what you said, and I want to do it, I want to be a Jedi. So if you're still willing to train me, I'm willing to learn."

"Are you sure?" Anakin asked.

Xander gave him a serious look that would have rivaled Willow's resolve face. "Yeah I'm sure."

"Then follow me," Anakin instructed as they reentered the mansion. They moved through the plus interior of the mansion with Xander eyeing everything with wide eye enthusiasm.

"You really know how to live in style." Xander said still in awe at everything around him.

"Appearances can be deceiving, Xander." Anakin spoke up as they traveled down the plush hallways. "The trappings of wealth mean nothing to me, nor to the Jedi Order. We lived simply with very few possessions. Material wealth meant nothing to us."

"So why choose this place then?" Xander asked in confusion. "I mean as far as mansions go they don't get much bigger than this."

"These weapons you see here are tools that fulfill a purpose. This place is a sanctuary that serves the greater good; nothing more nothing less. I acquired the property because of _where_ it is and what it will come to represent, not because of its extravagance and refinery."

"What's so special about it?" Xander asked completely intrigued.

"You're about to find out."

Hidden away at the back of the mansion was a heavy metal door he had not noticed on his tour with Anakin, triple bolted and locked from within, its surface a red rust of untreated steel. It had no external handle and the lock had been welded shut, it was impossible to get into without a bulldozer or stick of dynamite. 

"I think I'm seeing a minor flaw in this design," Xander offered a quip. "Why do you have an unopenable door in your house? Sucker for a puzzle?" 

Anakin maintained a straight face, this time too focused to react much to the young man's humor. "This is the entrance to my training room." 

"Guess you don't do a lot of training then?" 

This time Anakin did smile briefly, then waved his hand at the door, touching the internal locks with the Force, clanking the mechanism open with a slight grating squeal. The door opened with a heavy ***thunk***, parting an inch on its hinges. 

"You just need to know how to open it," Anakin said quietly. "Only one who has a way with the Force can enter here, or leave." 

"Like an exclusive club then?" 

"Something like that." Anakin nodded. "Besides me you will be the first person to enter this place." 

Xander nodded. "Alright then, after you." 

Anakin moved slightly, before hesitating. 

"What is it?" 

"You need to think about this Xander, really think," Anakin cautioned.

Anakin idly wondered if _he_ was also ready for this. After all he'd been down this road twice before and both times had ended in tragedy. Like any Master before him who had been through the pain of losing an apprentice, two in his case, Anakin wasn't sure he could handle loosing another. For a moment, a fleeting moment of doubt, he could feel his own fear and doubts in his abilities to give Xander the proper instruction. Even before his fall Anakin had never been the model Jedi…which was stating things somewhat mildly.

"I've thought about it, I'm ready." Xander said his resolve firm and unwavering.

"Are you?" The Jedi asked, pushing aside his own reservations. "Once you walk through that door, your life ends, and you are reborn. It is more than a door to a room; it is the door to your true being. Not everyone is ready to accept that." 

Xander held his gaze, raising his chin with a display of rare confidence. "I've heard what you've said, and I know. I've been living a lie; I've been lost, going round in circles. If you can tell me who I am, who I really am, then there is no power on this Earth that will stop me." 

"It's a dangerous path, one you must walk unwavering for the rest of your life." 

Xander nodded. "I know, believe me it's all I've thought about for the past few days. But I'm ready; I can do this. It's the path I'm ready to walk."

Anakin lowered his voice dangerously, leaning closer so his whispered words were clear as crystal. "You will be tested in ways you never imagined. And I shall not go easy on you, Xander. We shall soon see if you truly have what it takes. You will know pain; you will know sacrifice and you will know hardship as you have never known them before. I will not deceive you on this. If you feel you cannot handle this then turn away now. This is your last chance to turn back."

Anakin couldn't shake a fleeting, nagging feeling at the back of his mind that maybe Xander was never meant to be a Jedi in the first place. True the boy had astounding potential within him, but that didn't necessarily apply to the just Force. It was subtle, but all the signs were there, that Xander was a gifted young man in anything he did when he applied his mind to it. Anakin recognized this early on for what it was. For all Anakin knew _his_ own arrogance in believing that Xander must be trained as a Jedi could be leading the boy away from his true destiny. Anakin shook the thought away. The Force had made it clear its intentions for the boy. Yet Anakin's reservations refused to leave him. But he forced them to the back of his mind as he concentrated on this critical moment.

The tall Jedi stepped aside, leaving just Xander and the door. It was now up to him alone to proceed, his first steps as more than a man. There was no light from behind the door, no idea what was waiting for him, what hardship, troubles and fears. He knew instinctively that he was standing at the fork of a road, looking at a choice between a normal life where he may never achieve the kind greatness that Buffy possessed. Where he would still be a normal man, ordinary yet exemplifying extraordinary as he fought the good fight with nothing but his wits and his heart.

Or he could make the plunge and take the hard life or those who were special; where he could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Slayer and make a difference in ways he could never imagine. A life of sacrifice and hardship, where he was constantly a target for all that was evil in the world. A life in which he deliberately sacrificed his very freedom to serve the greater good.

But no matter which path he chose, whether it was the normal life or the life of a Jedi Knight. One thing was abundantly clear to Anakin. He would _alway_s be Xander.

Xander did not hesitate, his time of decision had come and gone, he was committed. He pushed the heavy metal door open with a horrible squeal, putting his weight behind the stiff hinges and forcing it apart. Without fear he walked into the dark, and after three steps dull yellow lights flickered on. 

"You've made your choice to learn," Anakin intoned. "And I've made my choice to teach. Keep going, there are some stairs ahead, go to the basement." 

Xander did as instructed, the murky light enough to ensure he didn't lose his balance. Behind him Anakin closed the door with great noise, shutting out the daylight beyond and sealing him in with a bang. The locks engaged again and he was trapped, unable to leave without either Anakin or a rudimentary knowledge of the Force.

He didn't let it bother him, maintaining his focus as he reached the bottom of the stairs, the hall a narrow stone passage that led to a strong wooden door. This one had a handle and latch and he opened it without difficulty. The room beyond was surprisingly large, an open plain stone vaulted chamber with several cabinets, weapon racks and a workbench around its edges. It was clearly a training room with mats on the floor and punching bags suspended from the roof, along with various dummies and protective gear for sparring.

It was a considerably better appointed facility then the library or Giles' house with a good deal more equipment, though most was familiar in form and function to the young man.  

"Buffy would back flip to see all this gear," he commented with a grin. 

"Your friends can't know of this place," Anakin said quickly. "Not yet." 

"What? Why not? They're my friends, we can trust them!" 

"I _do_ trust them, do not misunderstand" Anakin corrected. "It isn't an insult to your friends, don't take it as such, but I have learned to be cautious over who I let into _all_ of my personal affairs. And you and I will need time alone to train without your friends to serve as a distraction."

Xander nodded in understanding.

"For the foreseeable future training must be your sole focus. Distractions of any kind could impede your progress and that can get you killed. That's not to say you cannot enjoy your life and time with your friends, but until I feel confident in your skills you will tell no one."

"I still think it would be a good idea if my friends knew of this place. All I'm saying" Xander said. 

"I believe you, but I will still decide myself. Until then you cannot speak of this place, or the skills you will learn. Do you understand?" 

He nodded reluctantly. "Sure, I guess so, but I don't like it." 

"You don't have to like it, just obey your Master. Which would be me."  

"Whoa there Kemosabe, where did this whole Master thing come from?" 

"Master and Apprentice," Anakin clarified. "It's the way it has always been, you are now a Padawan, a learner, and I am your teacher. By accepting my training you have to obey me."

Anakin could remember a time when Obi-wan had this very conversation with him. Hopefully Anakin would have more success with Xander then Obi-wan had with him. Still…Anakin just _knew_ that he would have his work cut out for him in training Xander.

"If you think I'm going to clean your shoes, or paint your house or something…" 

"Relax." Anakin grinned. "You're not my slave, you're my student. We will be fighting side by side, and I will be trusting you with my life. Do you understand that? Do you understand the level of trust that involves?" 

"Yeah, I think so." 

"Your friends have trusted you in battle, but they have never willingly placed their lives in your hands. You were part of the team, but not an equal. One day you will be my equal if you learn my lessons well. I need you to do as I say without question, and trust me as much as I am willing to trust you."  

"You don't waste time do you?" Xander exhaled. "I thought I'd have a couple of hours before the big decisions rolled in, maybe some cookies first to soften the blow." 

"You're a padawan now, you might only be starting your Jedi training but you are already faced with power beyond that of normal people, which means you must recognize and accept your responsibility at once. You must be clear in your mind what this life means, and what it demands. My role is more than a mentor, more than a friend, more than a brother or a father." 

"Okay, but not in a gay way." 

"No, not in a gay way." Anakin suppressed a smile. "You really aren't my type." 

"I'd trust Willow with my life, and Buffy, Giles, too," Xander said. "Maybe Cordy, if it wasn't too dangerous you know, maybe if there weren't any shops nearby which could distract her at a crucial moment." He paused then suddenly turned serious. "I remember what you can do, and what you were willing to do to protect people you'd never met. So yeah, okay, Master and Apprentice, I'll do what you say, Mr. Miyagi." 

"I have no idea what you mean, but I think I get the message." Anakin nodded.

"So what's the first lesson?" 

"You already had it," the Jedi said. "Accepting your place. Now we go to lesson two, understanding your place."

Xander stepped into the middle of the room, looking around at the cabinets. Some were sealed, others open revealing an assortment of weapons. "Where did all this stuff come from?" 

"I have ways and means." 

"Like crime?" 

"Not like crime," Anakin countered. "Everything here is mine by your customs, taken from our vanquished foes or traded for."

"So do we start with Katanas?" Xander rubbed his hands together. "Crossbows? Battleaxes? Heavy machine guns….wait a minute…." 

"An interesting weapon, primitive but well designed," Anakin said with grudging respect. "Also a useful training aid." 

"Training aid? For what? How to bleed properly?" 

"Bullets cannot harm a Jedi knight." 

Xander grinned. "What? We're bullet proof?" 

"No, we can just dodge or deflect projectiles. Of course it helps if you have a decent sword…" 

"When do I learn to stop bullets?" 

"Later. _Much_ later," Anakin spoke with finality. "Your next lesson is through that door."  

Xander followed Anakin's gaze towards a second door at the far end of the room, standing solid and closed. "What's in there?" 

"What you take with you." 

"Do I get lessons in cryptic menacing responses to normal questions in this training?" 

"If you're lucky," Anakin answered. "I mean, only if you live." 

"Okay." He inhaled a refreshing lungful of cool air. "Here I go." 

Xander walked up to the door with trepidation, reaching out to the handle, his blood growing cold in his veins as he touched it, turning the cold metal to push the door open. The room inside was not a room, it was a cave, dull brown Californian stone left rough by the ages, a long tunnel heading away towards the coast. It was lit by the same dull lights as the hallway, along with a handful of candles. It was vaguely circular, its floor sandy.

Xander was drawn forward, stepping into the middle of the cave, the hard roof curved above him. He was nervous, his senses tingling in warning until, with no warning at all, every doubt he had vanished. It was an almost alien sensation, nothing worried him anymore, he was free and light and not tied down anymore. Nothing mattered, yet he still cared. It was euphoria, but he never lost control. 

"This place is strong with the Force, a beacon of the light side." Anakin's voice was distant; he was standing a few feet away, but sounded distant; like a faint telephone call. "_This_ is why I chose this place; it stands on a spring of light side energy, a tap into the positive emotions of this world. There are many such wellsprings and convergences, but this one is special because it is so close to a cavern of the Dark side."  

"This is just… I can't describe it," Xander chattered. "I feel just…_alive_." 

"The light side of the Force gives a Jedi his strength and his purpose. You feel the way you do because of your connection with the Force; we are luminous beings, not this crude matter of flesh and bone. The Force tells us this, we are part of it and it is part of us, all of us." 

Xander knew he had to move, it was almost painful to return to reality after the

experience, but he forced himself to do so, stepping back to join Anakin. "That was the Force then?" 

"An aspect of it," Anakin nodded. "You already know where the Dark side rules, where it is strongest." 

"The Hellmouth." 

"What some would call black magic I see as the will of the Dark side," Anakin spoke. "Perhaps they are the same thing, or perhaps they exist side by side helping each other, feeding on their energies. I don't know, but I will find out. But that is my path, before you can confront the Dark side you must grow accustomed to the Light side." 

"How?" 

"Sit, here, outside the circle, not within." Anakin gestured. "You must observe the light side from without, when you are immersed in it the experience is too great to control without much training." 

"You can control that experience I had?" 

"Yes." Anakin nodded. "I come here often to meditate, to stand in the warmth of the light side and try to speak with those I once knew." 

"Ask them how they are, what things are like back home?" 

"To beg their forgiveness," Anakin answered softly. "But that is my path, you have your own to lead. Sit."  

Xander sat on the floor crossing his legs beside the spring of Force energy. He could sense its proximity, the power, warmth and beauty it offered. He wanted very much to be part of it again, to let go as he had before. 

"You must not move," Anakin spoke firmly. "A Jedi must understand control, the call of the Force is powerful, sometimes deafening, but you must never let it overwhelm the voice of your own conscience. You must learn to use the Force, let it become a part of you, allow it to guide your actions for the betterment of all life, but remember who you are. You can use it, but you will never truly master it, and that desire to rule the Force and bend it to your will can only lead to disaster." 

"Is that the Dark side?" 

"Yes," Anakin confirmed. "The lust for power, greed, domination, these are the temptations you will face as you grow in power. You will think you are doing good, that you use these powers for the betterment of the world and the people you care for. But the Dark side will twist you; will subvert your noble intentions until you are nothing but a black shadow of a man, a wraith with no will other than the needs of evil. I know where that path leads."

That sounded like being vamped, or when he was under the influence of the alpha, Xander thought. "So how do I know the Dark side?" 

"You will know it." Anakin promised. "Listen to your heart and your head, listen to both of them, don't ignore one or the other even if it seems right at the time. Be mindful of the Living Force, my Padawan, understand the moment, do good in the here and now and let the future attend to itself."  

Xander could still feel the Force all around him, the strength of the light side in this cavern infusing his being in a way he had not imagined. It was an amazing feeling, empowering yet also comforting. 

"You will spend a lot of time here," Anakin said peacefully. "The Force offers clarity, it lets you look into yourself and see the truth, lets you examine your memories, experiences, even see into the past, present and future. Before we begin with swords, spears and hand to hand techniques, we must discover who you are." 

"Is this going to help me if I get in a fight?" 

"More than anything else I can teach you" Anakin said softly, yet with an iron resolve in his voice. "It will show you your flaws and limits, so yes, it will help you in a fight, but more than that, it will help you know _when _to fight**.** This first lesson is the most important I will ever teach you. Know yourself, Xander Harris, and you will never have another doubt or regret for as long as you live." 

"So I'll figure out my true self here in this room today?" 

"No." Anakin chuckled. "It took me over forty years to find myself, and I am not so arrogant to think I still entirely know myself either. But it will show you some truths you may not have known before, and it will set you firmly on the path you have chosen. If you have doubts, questions, fears, come to this place and meditate. The Force will answer you." 

"How do you know all this? You're like a less fat Buddha." 

"I had good teachers," Anakin answered sincerely. "Even if I didn't see it at the time precisely because I failed this lesson**.** But their knowledge will soon be yours, just make sure you use it wisely."

*****************

**Mexico City, **

**Mexico**

"Ah, Good ol' Mexico, Not the first time I been to this soddin' place. I swore I'd never return here again. Bloody Slayer!" A tall, deathly pale, bleached blond figure looked out of the tinted window in the safe house apartment within the city. The sun looked to be well on its downward decent, which meant it would be just under an hour till sunset.

"At least the food's decent," Spike turned away from the window in disgust to look at his companion, and then frowned. "Dru, are you listening to a soddin' thing I'm saying?"

"Shhhhh." Drusilla shushed, from her chair. "You'll wake Miss Edith, she's had a long night and day, she has, my Spike. She has shown me many things." Drusilla murmured, to no one in particular, but her response seemed to be directed at Spike. Looking more closely to Drusilla, Spike could see her eyes were unfocused, wandering around the room, sometimes lingering on certain objects before they continued to roam again. It wasn't anything that Spike wasn't used to, but it still unnerved him on occasion, even after a few hundred years kicking around together.

"You hungry, pet? Can I get you anything?" Spike asked, kneeling in front of Drusilla.

"I'm not hungry," Dru said weakly, averting Spike's gaze.

"You can't keep doing this luv!" Spike sighed. "You can't keep wastin' away like this!"

"I saw the vision again, Spike," Dru said looking Spike squarely in the eyes. In her eyes he saw that look of madness that never failed to creep him out.

"What did you see, luv?" Spike asked, taking hold of Drusilla's hand and gently rubbing it. Despite everything that happened between them, he still loved her deeply, Angelus be damned.

"The Gardener," Drusilla began. "Once a Dark lord consumed in anger, now he seeks the light. He plants the seeds, and soon they shall sprout!" Drusilla said with something akin to panic in her voice. That alone made Spike wary.

"He is one of the four. Four who were drawn in darkness, yet the Gardener seeks the light. He plants the seeds that will destroy us all."

Great, another sod with an Angel complex, bollocks.

"So, we'll just kill every farmer and gardener we come across. That should do it luv," Spike cooed.

But Drusilla continued on as if she hadn't heard him, which, come to think of it, she probably hadn't.

"The river runs off course, things are not as they should be... They never will be again. Destiny folds in on itself like paper, then torn and scattered to the wind."

Spike rolled his eyes."What else, pet?" Spike asked. He'd learned long ago that the best way to get Drusilla past the visions was to at least show he was paying attention, and coax more out of her. It rarely worked. Once Drusilla's fractured mind locked onto something it didn't let go until it was concluded. And right now Drusilla was hinting at something, something that was no doubt important. But Spike never really had the patience or presence of mind to truly consider her words.

"The Savage, He finds enjoyment in carnage and death. His soul is as black as night, he wishes to return to the game stronger than before, and none shall stand in the way of the prize." Spike liked the guy already.

"The Black Death, Her power is as beautiful as it is deadly; she destroys all that she touches. Hell hath no fury like her when scorned; Death doth seep from her fingers." Oh bollocks, Spike blanched. A witch or a black Mage; Spike knew with absolute certainty to never _ever_ cross one of those.

"The Chess Master, He stacks the board with all the pieces and will soon play them against each other, He awaits the perfect moment to reveal himself. He is the master of destiny, and none who play his game shall return whole again." Spike didn't like the sound of that either, because the way Dru was looking at him made his cold and clammy skin crawl. She was telling him in a way that only she could; they were caught up in this, as if trapped in some giant Web; they were players in this sordid game….no they were _pawns_.

Which was why he still intended to run to South America with Dru as originally planned. However...

"All are powerful, but the Gardener is the one we must fear....he will soon plant the first seed, and the tree that shall grow will be strong with deep roots. It will touch us, wherever we go."

"Who Luv? Spiked asked. "Who is the Gardener? What is the seed?" When Drusilla didn't answer Spike hissed and turned away in disgust.

"The whelp..." Drusilla said, barely above a whisper, but it was more than enough for Spike's keen hearing to pick out.

"The Whelp!?" Spiked roared with laughter. "You mean the Slayer's useless friend?" Then Spike's smile faded. "Back in Sunnydale!" Spike looked at Drusilla as if she'd gone insane, which was stating the obvious, because she had long ago gone insane, but at least her insanity had a _measure_ of rationality to it. This was just borderline stupidity.

"Are you telling me we have to go back to bloody Sunnydale and kill the whelp!?" Drusilla shied away from him.

"That is not happening. Do you hear me Dru, we are not going back to Sunnydale!" Spike huffed angrily. And for good reason; Sunnydale was the place of his humiliation, usually at the Slayer's hands. Spike needed time to regroup and regain some measure of respect he had lost.

"The Slayer's heart is broken, she weeps for her lost love, she seeks to mend her spirit in the city of Angel," Dru said weakly. Spike blinked, processing what he'd just heard.

"Are you telling me that bitch of a Slayer is no longer in Sunnydale?" Spike asked, a predatory glint growing in his eyes.

"Yes, my Spike," Drusilla answered softly. Spike considered his options. Drusilla had left no doubt that they were caught up in this...whatever it was. She'd hinted that she'd seen the whelp become some sort of threat to them in the future, laughable as that seemed, and that the only way to stop him was to kill him. With the Slayer out of the way that suddenly became very possible. But these others she kept ranting on about. The Gardener, The Savage, The Black Death and The Chess Master....who were they? What part did they play? Would they interfere? Spike had a real bad feeling about all of this.

"How long will the Slayer be gone?" Spike asked.

"I do not know," Drusilla answered.

"Of _course_ you don't!" Spiked scoffed. He stalked around the room and returned to the window and was surprised to see the sun setting in the horizon. Had they really been talking that long? Spike didn't care, he was hungry; It was time to eat.

"Where are you going? Drusilla asked, eyeing Spike curiously.

"Out! To get some food and I suggest you eat this time!" Spike snapped, the deep pitch of his voice and contorted visage on his face giving away his seething anger.

"We must go back Spike, before the roots go too deep."

Spike snorted "I need something a bit more concrete then cryptic messages Dru. I mean killing the whelp sounds like a good bit of fun an all, but not if the Slayer suddenly finds herself back in town when we do it! And while this Savage guy sounds like a good chap to cause some chaos with, I damn sure do not want to go anywhere near that mage you were talking about!" Spike suppressed a shudder at a memory of what he'd seen their kind do. He swore to himself that he'd never go near one again, and the worst part was they all had their human souls!!! Souls as twisted as any demon, but they still had them. That, in Spike's opinion, made them dangerously unpredictable. Spike slammed the door shut on his way out leaving Drusilla alone in the dark.

"The roots will go too deep, something horrible will be born, its power will consume us all in light. The Force is with them."


	7. Chapter 6 Jedi 101

**Chapter 6. Jedi 101**

**The Enclave**

**June 10****th****.**

Xander sat in the classic meditation position, legs crossed and hands resting comfortably on his thighs. For two hours he had attempted to reach out to the Force as Anakin…correction, as his Master—_man that was going to take some getting used to_--had been trying to teach him, but as of yet he'd been unable to do it on his own. It was a little frustrating that something so simple for Anakin was apparently taking all his effort and concentration and yet still no success.

"Remember Xander. You _have _felt the Force once before, within the circle. Let that feeling be your guide. Keep it in your mind's eye. You cannot force it. Be patient and your mind will opens itself to the Force," Anakin said, sensing his young apprentice's thoughts.

"Still not feeling anything," Xander stated in a disappointed tone of voice.

"It will come to you my young apprentice, have _patience_," Anakin instructed. He too was in the classic Jedi meditation position, sitting opposite of Xander on the outer edges of the circle. Both men had moved out of the circle to reach out to the Force on their own with the wellspring of Light Side energy to act as beacon to guide them, drawing them to the Force.

For a long time, for over an hour actually, the only sound that could be heard was their rhythmic breathing as each reached out to the Force in their own unique way.

"Wait...I think I feel something, yeah, I'm really feeling something…" Xander finally spoke up with a slight hint of a grimace. Anakin didn't speak up instead allowing his apprentice to voice his thoughts.

"No, wait, it's just a cramp, and my legs have fallen asleep," Xander said as he started to fidget.

"Concentrate," Anakin instructed. "Take it one breath at a time. Slowly clear your mind and reach out."

"You do know who you're talking to, right? Me, Xander Harris, the man with tons of useless knowledge cloggin his noggin and…"

"Quiet," Anakin instructed firmly.

"Was this ever hard for you?" Xander asked.

"When I first began my training it was, but you get through it," Anakin related.

"So what did you do?"

"I concentrated, which is what you should be doing. Now concentrate. Focus your mind on the task at hand," Anakin said with a tone that brokered no dissent.

Xander adjusted his position and did as instructed, taking long slow breaths, one at a time while trying to concentrate on the feeling he had felt in the circle; the feeling of warmth and euphoria that had enveloped him which he very much wanted to be a part of again. But still nothing seemed to be happening. It was getting a little frustrating for the rather impatient young man.

"Do not be deterred, Xander." Anakin spoke quietly. "It will not come to you right away. Be patient. It _will_ happen, but you must allow it to happen naturally. You cannot force it."

Xander took in a series of deep breaths to clear his frustrations and focus on opening his mind to the Force. Once again he concentrated on the feeling he had felt within the circle, using it as his guide to feel his way to the Force. Slowly, ever so slowly, with each breath he took, he mostly succeeded in clearing of mind of distractions and sank deeper into a meditative state. He began to notice something just beyond his perceptions. It wasn't something he could see or hear, nor anything he could define with words. It was more of a feeling of something just beyond his grasp. All he had to do was reach out to it.

_Nope, can't get it…_

It was...difficult. It reminded him of trying to sleep the night before a worrying test, or trying to get some rest the night before Christmas. He couldn't stop thinking. Now of all times, when usually he was quite able to switch it off on a whim.

Slowly though, and to his surprise, the slow breathing began to work. As his heart rate slowed he fixed his mind on that one thought, that memory of the circle. He didn't try to analyze it as he usually did. He didn't try to understand it…he just remembered it. Remembered the glow in his heart...the indescribable sensation of safety and comfort that enveloped him.

Slowly he concentrated on that feeling and within his mind's eye he noticed the tiniest spark of light. It was like seeing a brief spark of light within a pitch black room before just as suddenly it vanished. For a moment he hadn't been sure he'd actually seen it at all and he was about to discount it as nothing when he paused.

It had been something; his feelings had never been clearer on the matter. But still there was that nagging sensation of doubt behind it. Despite his best efforts his earlier doubts still plagued him. Could they still be whispering in the back of his mind, even now? Impeding his progress of reaching the Force?

"The first thing you must believe Xander is that you _can_ touch the Force; for if you do not believe it, it _will_ always remain outside your grasp." Anakin instructed.

_Man its creepy how he always does that!_ Xander thought wryly before something he had said clicked in his mind.

Xander considered his words for a moment. He was right. In order to make this work he had to push past his own self doubt and truly reach out. He'd been so close, he was sure of it. How he was sure of it he didn't know. But somehow he just _knew!_

Encouraged by this, Xander rallied his will and began again; slowly sinking deeper into a meditative state with each calming breath he took. Instead of focusing on his doubts he focused on directing his feelings. Instead of retreating _into_ himself he was reaching _beyond_ himself, to the Force. In his mind's eye the spark he had seen and felt reappeared and then slowly brightened until it became the sole focus of his mind. He could feel he was on the verge of something wondrous! The walls of self doubt clouding his mind felt as if they were melting away, loosing cohesion as their grip on him weakened. But rather than allow his excitement to distract him he remained focused on the task at hand.

Once more his focus, freed of the distractions of his fear and excitement, shifted back toward the light in his mind's eye, which he realized had almost slipped away again in his distracted state. It was like seeing a lone star in a night sky or a single firefly up close; that brief glimmer of light in a void so vast as to be beyond his ability to comprehend. Again his excitement flared in triumph, for he seemed to have finally maintained his grasp on that feeling… only to have it vanish like smoke from his grasp when he clumsily reached out for it.

"You almost had it," Anakin said. "Do not let your excitement distract you, maintain your focus."

"Yes… Master," Xander complied. This was a bit harder than he had expected, but now he had a feeling he was on the right track. He would not fail in this! Rather than be deterred he was encouraged. Once more the young man rallied himself and began again. It was getting easier now that he had an idea of what he was doing. Once again, he cleared his mind and once again the spark returned. And _this_ time he was able to maintain his grasp on it by keeping his emotions in check.

"Good, that spark you feel is yourself, your inner being. But you have yet to truly open yourself to the Force. Now, slowly, stretch out with your feelings." Anakin instructed.

Xander complied without hesitation, instinctively understanding what Anakin wanted him to do and what he experienced simply turned his world upside down and inside out. The walls of doubt and fear around him simply dissolved and were swept aside like a broken dam. He could feel the Force roaring into him, like a river that had been denied its proper path, suddenly finding release; permeating his entire being, surrounding him, engulfing him, and filling every crevice of his soul as it flooded through him. It was unlike anything he'd ever felt before, and he had done it entirely on his own; with but a few words of encouragement from the man he was coming to accept as his Master.

Here, in this moment, Xander Harris touched the Force and it was as if his eyes had been opened to a new level of existence. He could not stop the single tear that rolled down his cheek.

Recovering his emotions from the overwhelming nature of what he had experienced. Xander focused on his awareness through the Force to gain some understanding of what he was sensing. As his mind adapted to these new sensations he began to comprehend what he was witnessing and feeling.

It as if he were immersed in a calm stream, now that the tidal rush had finished sweeping through him. He centered himself within the Force instinctively. Like a rock, enveloped within that stream of water, but instead of water it was a stream of pale bluish/white energy that felt more like a warm comforting blanket. Within that stream he could see other sparks of light pulsing with a kaleidoscope worth of colors from various shades of blues to greens, purples, yellow, reds and pinks and everything else in between.

He opened his eyes, and amazingly still held his connection to the Force. He could see Anakin nodding at him, a look of pride on his face as he regarded him.

Anakin smiled. "Congratulations my young Padawan, you've just taken the first steps into a brave new world."

***************

**The Bronze**

**Later that night.**

The Force: it is the source of a Jedi's strength and purpose; an intricate web of energy created by all life, connecting everyone and everything to one another in ways beyond description. Without the Force life could not exist and without life the Force could not exist. This was the basic truth that was the centerpiece of knowing the Force.

Even now, hours later, the basic tenets of understanding the Force sang in his mind as his Master had explained it to him. This first day of training, the start of his new life, had been so different than what he had been expecting. Rather than grueling physical training or the detailed and careful study of battle tactics; they had instead discussed the Force at length, with Xander, hungering for knowledge and understanding, had seemingly rapid fired questions one after another with Anakin slowly and patiently answering them as best he could.

The Force was more than just a means of combating evil. A fact Xander had failed to understand prior to Anakin opening his mind to it. It was understanding life itself, the ebb and flow of its currents. It was understanding who you were and your place in it, to be part of it and serve its will and those around you with the power it granted you.

This first lesson alone totally went beyond anything he could imagine, and like a starving man who had tasted food for the first time; he _hungered_ for more. The hours had melted away, seeming like minutes with their long discussions of the basics on the Force before Anakin had firmly put an end to the day's lesson, sending the boy home so he could reflect and meditate on his discoveries. Tomorrow they would begin again bright and early. Xander fully intended to rest and reflect on what he learned. But that would be later tonight. For now he would enjoy the company of his friends and his girlfriend.

Inexorably his legs propelled him forward with renewed strength and sense of purpose. As he walked down the very public main streets, seemingly oblivious to his surrounds like the typical Sunnydaler. Xander was in fact _very_ aware of his surroundings thanks to the Force.

He'd known Sunnydale was dangerous thanks to the many times he'd fought alongside Buffy and Willow. He'd known their quiet little town had had a dark horrible history even before he made the fateful decision to fight evil by Buffy's side. And he'd known that the Hellmouths power drew in demons and monsters from all over like a moth to a flame. But with the Force he could feel it all around him in a way he never thought possible.

It gave him a sense of perspective he'd never considered before.

Xander cleared his minds of these thoughts as he slowly strode into the steel gray entrance of the Bronze. It was as if it were the first time he had ever set foot in the place. He had never felt so alive, so centered so…_calm, at peace_. It brought a smile to his face. Stretching out with the Force he savored the experience; feeling the waves of emotion from the crowd flood through him, like an electric current. It was as if his eyes had been opened for the first time, truly seeing the world for more than what it was. Everything seemed brighter, felt fuller and as Xander tasted the soda he just bought, it tasted richer. He shook his head in bemusement; wondering how he had never seen and felt the world like this before. Turning towards their usual table Xander could feel the presence of his friends long before he saw them through the thick crowd.

Focusing on his friends with the Force as his Master had trained him to do, Xander could feel their emotions echo through the Force and what he felt from a certain someone in the group surprised him.

_Cordelia_… She was anxious…to see him? Concentrating further he tuned out everything that was not Cordelia. Through the Force he could sense her feelings and her thoughts, and right now they were centered entirely on him!

_Awesome! _

He could feel her nervousness in hoping he would notice her new outfit. He could sense her trust and respect and the depth of her affection; all which were considerably greater than he had ever given himself credit for. He knew that with a little time, training and concentration he would be able to delve into her mind to sense her hopes and joys, her fears and desires. But he didn't and he wouldn't. He knew to do so would be a violation of her privacy without her permission, and though he was her boyfriend that didn't automatically give him an invite into her most private thoughts without her consent.

So he pulled back, and right now he could feel she was thirsty. He'd get her favorite drink.

A few moments later he arrived at the table with drinks in hand. "Hey guys," Xander called when he arrived at the table.

"Hey Xander," Willow smiled. Oz just gave him a casual nod.

"Hey Xander," Cordelia smiled.

"Cordy, you look amazing, Is that a new outfit?" Xander praised genuinely. Apparently he had said the right thing because the beaming smile she gave him weakened him in the knees.

_Cordelia has the most amazing smile_….

Blinking after a second to regain his balance, Xander handed her a drink which pleasantly surprised her.

"Thought you might need another drink." Xander shrugged, feigning nonchalance. He moved closer and pulled her to him for a passionate kiss which though surprised, she happily returned. Through the Force Xander could feel _exactly _how she desired to be kissed and he adapted his technique to please her. The contented moan that escaped her lips told him he had been _very_ successful. Pulling back from the kiss Xander could see that her eyes were glazed over, her skin flushed from the passion in his kiss and her jaw was agape.

"Xander that was just…I've never… no one has _ever_ kissed me like that." Cordelia breathed heavily as she continued to stare at him in shock.

From across the table Oz was looking squarely at Xander with a thoughtful look on his face. Willow's piercing look, if Xander had seen it, could have dusted a vamp.

"You like?" Xander asked with a perfect naughty boy smile.

"Well you don't see me complaining do you?" Cordelia returned his smile. She took a moment to look him over. Something was different about him, she couldn't put her finger on it, but there had definitely been a change in him since she saw him this morning. She shrugged; she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

"What's with the big smoochie attack?" Willow asked. She was eyeing Xander with a funny expression that hid her true feelings. Xander knew she had never been comfortable with his relationship with Cordelia. She had been their arch nemesis for years after all. But now, as he focused on what he was sensing from Willow he was beginning to wonder if there was more to it than that.

Right now her feelings of jealousy and possessiveness radiated through the Force loud and clear, but she wasn't acting on them. This was a revelation he hadn't been expecting. Could Willow be harboring feelings…for him!? She was his bestest bud and he had never had any inclination of her feeling anything like this for him. Through the Force he could feel her strong feelings for him, feelings just as strong for him as what _he_ had felt, and still felt, for Buffy.

He'd been _completely_ clueless.

Without the insight from the Force he probably would have missed it. No. He _knew_ he would have missed it. Taking a moment to formulate an appropriate response Xander grabbed his drink and downed more than half of it in slow steady gulps. Now that he knew, it just made him that much more sensitive to her feelings. After all she was his best friend and he didn't want to hurt her at all. But he still had no clue how to handle this revelation.

_Best to steer her mind away from this… _

Ultimately this seemed the wisest course of action for now. This was huge. It certainly put his relationship with Willow in a new light. He would think on this matter carefully so as not to act rashly. She was after all his Willow and that would never change.

"Hey, you know, a guy gets real happy to see his girl and his friends, so what did I miss? Oz, aren't the Dingoes playing a set tonight?" Xander asked. He wrapped his arms around Cordelia's middle and pulled her close. She practically melted into his embrace with a contented sigh.

Oz winced slightly. "Devon got a bad case of food poisoning so we had to cancel."

"Tough break," Xander said and Oz nodded in agreement.

The group traded small talk for a while about the various things happening around Sunnydale, the occasional new 'mysterious death' and if it was someone they knew. They eventually moved onto brighter topics just as a new band took the stage. Just before the band started up they relaxed into a comfortable silence with Cordelia reluctantly pulling herself off of Xander as the band started up their number, Oz and Willow were, as always, practically inseparable the entire time.

Xander decided to try something new and surf the Force in time with the band. He knew that control probably wasn't the best idea to start with, how would he know what to filter out and how if he couldn't see the full picture? He rested his hands on the table and closed his eyes, relaxing his breathing, centering himself like Anakin had shown him and allowing the sensations of the Force to carry him along like a leaf in a stream.

That was probably a good description, he thought, as he let go and allowed himself to simple observe the thoughts and feelings of the club, to be part of them, pushed along in a torrent of euphoria. Emotions were running high in the Bronze, the party was in full swing and people were enjoying themselves.

It was hard to make out individuals at first, more like he was tuned into the entire building, the atmosphere itself. He could sense the rising of feelings and waves of emotion, all of it nearly perfectly balanced with the music thumping out from the stage. Everything was alive, like tangle of ribbons moving together, each ribbon the projected sensations of a single person. They were all as one, all linked, all moving together to the sound of music and laughter. It was completely mind blowing, a taste of euphoria Xander had never known before, infinitely better than he imaginedany drug could possibly be.

It took a long moment, but he began to notice two threads that were not part of the celebration, like bad chords in an orchestra they stood out, twisted in fear and anger. Xander focused, trying to follow Anakin's advice, to centre on them, pick them out, match the feelings to a physical source.

He opened his eyes, his instincts telling him the first thing he saw would be the answer. Sure enough he spotted a girl, a face he knew from school heading straight for the door to the club, walking swiftly and purposefully. Her face was fixed but he could feel her turmoil, her fear, her unbalanced composure. She was badly shaken up and internally upset, her feelings wailing through the Force like a siren.

As she left he caught another wave of emotion, this time much more fierce and focused. He reached out, looked for the source of the dark feelings and spotted a man, maybe ten years older than he was and very muscular, heading for the same door. He was intensely focused on the upset girl, directing a great deal of anger at her. Xander wasn't good enough to know exactly what his thoughts were, but they did not feel good.

"Good band." Oz suddenly remarked, making Xander turn his head and blink.

"You spoke?"

"I occasionally do. Normally when I have something to say."

"Yeah, they're pretty good."

"You seemed to be really listening, like you were in another world."

Xander smiled. Oz was definitely the most observant person he knew.

"A good band." He agreed.

He noticed the man had left, taking his anger with him. The good vibes were returning, and he was very tempted to let himself be swept up again, to enjoy the happiness in the room, but he couldn't. That echo of anger was at the back of his mind, something was going to happen and only he knew about it. As Anakin had said, he had a great power and a great responsibility.

"Either Anakin or Spider man", whispered a small voice in his mind. "Oh well…same difference."

"Hey, I'm just going out for some air." Xander said quickly. Cordelia and Willow looked at him oddly but didn't speak up.

"They have air here too you know." Oz said. "Place is full of it."

Xander grinned. He nodded to his friend, sweeping a mock bow."Back in a minute."

Xander headed for the door as fast as he could without drawing attention, exiting into the alley way and reaching out with the Force, looking for the anger. He found it almost at once, in the direction of a couple of dumpsters hidden from sight. He rushed over, hearing voices as he got closer.

"Get your hands off me!" The girl yelled.

"You lead me on like that and just walk out? After I spent all that money on you!"

"I didn't ask you to!"

"Shut up! You don't get away with this! You don't make me look like a fool!"

Xander took a breath; despite the fact that the guy was nearly twice his size and had muscles as large as his head he knew what he had to do. He stepped around the dumpster. "There a problem here?"

The man snapped his head round. "Get lost kid!"

"Help me!" The girl shouted.

"I said shut up!" The man yelled, back handing her across the face.

That was enough. Xander knew this story, he'd seen it too many times in his life, he'd felt it too many times in his life. He could feel the bitterness boiling up; all those times he couldn't stop his father, well now he could. Now he could stop it.

He reached out and grabbed the man's wrist.

"Get off me!" The man struggled to get free from Xanders surprising strong grip.

"Lady, whoever you are, run." Xander ordered.

She sat frozen for a second, like an animal caught in headlights.

"RUN!"

She bolted as Xander let the man go.

"You're gonna get a beating boy, nobody makes me look a fool, not her, not you!"

He threw a punch.

Without realizing it Xander acted on a warning from the Force. Somehow, mere seconds before the man had thrown a punch; Xander just _knew_ exactly what he was going to do. In that instant Xander took action by simply grabbing the man's wrist mid swing without flinching, then twisting it back, breaking his wrist in one powerful move. The man's knees wobbled with the onrush of pain and he backed off.

"You feel like a man? Do you?" Xander demanded angrily. "Hitting girls make you feel strong?"

"You broke my wrist!"

Xander's left hook seemed to shoot out on its own accord and connected firmly with the man's nose with a satisfying crunch and spray of blood. "And now your nose."

"Stop!"

You piece of filth!" Xander spat, dragging the man towards him. "You scum! I can snap your neck right now you bastard! You piece of utter dirt!"

"Don't hurt me!" The man sobbed. "Please!"

Xander was ready to end him then and there, an anger welling up inside him so powerful he had never felt it before, a rage he had buried for so long that now suddenly found release. He was seconds from snapping the man's neck, but he didn't. He came back, the words of his Master echoing in his mind, his warnings, his lessons on control. He let go, the man falling into a pile of rubbish.

"Never come here again, understand?"

"Yes!"

Xander nodded and turned away, deeply shaken by the touch of darkness he had felt inside himself, worried by it. He was so caught up in his sudden change of feeling he never even noticed Oz turning back from the doorway and heading back into the club, a thoughtful look fixed to his face.

* * *

**The Enclave**

**June 13****th**

"Physical fitness is a key to surviving the many threats you will face my young Padawan. The Force gives us many advantages when boosting our physical prowess beyond our limitations, but we must still learn to strengthen our bodies in order to remain strong and stay one step ahead of the enemy. Fortunately I know how best to do this."

Xander was breathing heavily holding himself erect in a handstand position and doing his best to find his sense of balance. His shirt was soaked in sweat and his face was doing a perfect imitation of a ripe tomato, but he was doing his best to maintain his rather wobbly handstand position.

"A group of Force adepts known as the Mutakai have perfected this to an art; they have literally learned how to meditate on the Force while in the midst of physical exertion. This is what you will be learning while conducting physical training, as you grow both stronger physically and also strengthen your grip on the Force."

"Wouldn't it….just…be…better…to…use a….gym…Master?" Xander asked while struggling to maintain his balance.

"We don't need to use weight lifting equipment my young apprentice. Our bodies and the Force are all that we will ever need. Besides, Jedi are known to travel often, we never had the luxury of having a portable gym to carry with us, we had to travel light, and more often than not the worlds we traveled to didn't have a gym available for our use. The _point_ is, our body and the Force was all that we had, and it has proven more than sufficient."

"So… how…. does…. this… work… Master?"

"I'll be teaching you a variety of different techniques, body resistance exercises and high intensity calisthenics to build muscular strength and endurance. We'll also be doing long hard runs to improve cardiovascular endurance. I'll also teach you how to utilize the Force during these sessions to increase or decrease the intensity of your workouts and work on your flexibility and agility. We'll not speak of the massive changes I'll be making to your diet either," Anakin related.

Xander stifled a whimper.

"How… many workouts… are… there… Master?" Xander wobbled and nearly toppled over but managed to keep himself erect.

"There are a few dozen exercises, some working multiple muscle groups in one exercise, others isolating specific regions of the body to maximize effect. You are going to learn all of them, _today_."

* * *

**The Enclave**

**June 15****th**

"We will start you combat training with hand to hand techniques first. It is a good foundation to base our training on, but just as importantly, If you are ever disarmed of your weapon you still need to be able to defend yourself as well as others around you," Anakin explained.

Their first few lessons in touching the Force had been predominantly in the Cave where reaching out and maintaining a connection with the Force had been their primary goal. But with the recent introduction of some Mutakai techniques into Anakin's training program, it had served both to improve Xander's physical fitness and strengthen his connection with the Force while under physical and psychological stress.

"The unarmed combat techniques I'll be teaching you are actually a combination of two of the best from my home Galaxy. Hijkata and Echani fighting arts. Hijkata is actually a refinement of another fighting art called Teras Kasi. Teras Kasi was developed with one goal in mind, to give its user the ability to defeat Jedi."

"I take it the Jedi didn't always make friends wherever we went, huh, Master?" Xander asked.

"No we did not," Anakin confirmed. "Thousands of years of service to the Republic and democracy and you _are_ going to make enemies, and those enemies are going to develop methods and techniques to defeat you. What is important however is how you adapt and overcome them. For instance a Teras Kasi Master utilizing decades of training while tapping into his own inner strength can at best hope for a draw against a Jedi, and that's if the Jedi is having a very bad day. But when utilized by a Jedi it becomes something far more deadly."

"Cool." Xander smiled in eagerness.

"Hijkata is a refinement of Teras Kasi, both of them are strike based martial art systems. It became very popular among the Senatorial Guard, the Mandalorians and later Clone Commandos during the Clone Wars, and all of them used it to devastating effect."

"What about the other one you mentioned?" Xander asked.

"The Echani were a warrior race from my home Galaxy. Their form of combat is less strike based but focuses more on grappling. The Echani believed combat was a pure form of expression broken down into form and motion, where your true self was revealed. The Echani were among the most successful of warrior races back home, and their fighting arts were revered by many, including the Emperors Red Guard. Before the fall of the Republic I studied both arts intently to counter my weakness in unarmed hand to hand combat. They have served me well, and they will serve you well if you pay close attention to my lessons. Now, let us begin."

*******************

**Sunnydale High School**

**June 16****th**

"Welcome back Mr. Giles, how was Los Angeles?"

"Uneventful, I'm afraid, and how are you, Anakin?" Giles asked, taking a seat at the heavy wooden table.

"Things have been calm while you were away. The others are healthy and safe; it seems things have quieted down," Anakin related.

"Yes, well enjoy it while it lasts because it never does," Giles snorted. Taking a moment he studied Anakin as he moved through various stances and forms not unlike the fencing he was used to.

"What form is that?" Giles asked. Though the untrained eye might have missed it, Giles was an expert in swordplay and he'd seen Anakin use a variety of differing styles. At times he was twisting and twirling in an almost obscene fashion that seemed impractical, at other times he was as solid and unmoving as a wall. But this was something different; it was elegant and precise and very fluid in motion.

"It's called Makashi."

"I never figured you for a fencer," Giles related.

'I'm not, but I knew someone who was a master at this form."

"A former teacher of yours?" Giles asked.

Anakin cocked his head to the side. "Something like that," he answered delicately. Frowning ever so slightly Anakin continued through the various stances, thrusts and parries consistent with the form.

"You move as if born to it," Giles observed. "And it wasn't your preferred style?"

"No it wasn't," Anakin answered. He walked over to the table and placed the sword down then took a seat in one of the chairs, his frown never leaving his face.

"What's wrong?"

"There is something I have wanted to speak about since they day I arrived. I've been thinking about how we've been going about the slaying. I can't help but think we could be doing better," Anakin answered honestly.

Giles leant back slightly in his chair, gazing at Anakin thoughtfully across the table.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked after a few moments.

Relieved that Giles at least prepared to listen, Anakin collected his thoughts, then began.

"Training for one thing, "he stated firmly. "The _very_ basic training I gave the Scoobies in communications and coordination was one thing and that alone has made them noticeably better, but they are in need of basic combat training in the _worst_ kind of way, especially if they insist on slaying as they have been."

"Well, yes…yes they are quite persistent; they were always there to provide some form of backup to Buffy most nights if they could help it." Giles smiled sadly.

"They have courage, there is no denying that, and they have been lucky so far, but they have no real fighting skills." Anakin rubbed a hand over his face for a moment in thought. "I've been thinking that if you and I work together we can have them trained up to where they could become an effective, cohesive fighting force within a few months, Slayer or no Slayer…or Jedi."

Giles raised his eyebrows in surprise for moment but already his keen mind was already considering Anakin's recommendation. "I'm definitely willing to listen, as I'll take whatever help I can get, but the Council tends to frown on bringing in outsiders, and they've never been comfortable with the idea of Buffy's friends fighting by her side. Then there is the little matter of Buffy herself, if and when she comes back. She's not liable to be enthusiastic about the idea of the others slaying any more than they already have been."

"Yes, I remember the 'one girl in all the world' speech you gave me. I do find it odd that your council is not providing more direct support to their Slayer. Why is that?"

Giles opened his mouth to speak then frowned. "Can you be a little more specific in what you mean by that?"

"Financial support for one; your Slayer is risking her life on a nightly basis, yet the Council isn't compensating her for any financial difficulties she might have to deal with, that will only add unneeded stress to her life especially if she must find means to support herself when ventures out on her own. I am curious to learn there is no medical support plan in place should the Slayer suffer any serious injury. No medical staff on hand that specializes in Slayer physiology, no resupply of weapons or protective gear and I've heard absolutely nothing on research and development of new weapons to fight vampires and Demons. These are the most obvious ones that come to mind."

"Yes… I can… see what you're getting at," Giles admitted slowly. "I take it that Xander has been filling you in." It wasn't really a question, Xander had been spending a lot of time with Anakin lately; more then was making Willow comfortable.

Anakin nodded. "He has."

"We-well to answer your question, I'm not entirely sure, but the Council's operations are global. I can only think that resources are spread thin."

"What could be more important than defending such a critical weakness for this world? I have never been on a planet that had such a critical weakness like the Hellmouths. Yet when it comes to defending the _primary_ Hellmouth, the Council thrust in its 'Chosen One' without any form of support other than her Watcher?"

Giles looked mildly uncomfortable. "Well…when you put it that way, I can see how it might look to the outside observer. What do you propose?"

"It would perhaps be prudent to get the Council to support _them_ better. They have all risked their lives countless times and have asked for nothing in return. Their dedication is unwavering; I believe your Council should recognize that fact and support them."

"And you?" Giles asked.

Anakin smirked. "I have my own ways and means."

Giles smiled. "Well I suppose there's no harm in asking is there?"

"None, and if they do not respond favorably I have a few plans that could aid our cause."

"What sort of ideas did you have in mind?" Giles asked.

"I've been developing a training program over the past few weeks, it's nearly complete but you have been battling this _particular_ threat far longer than I have. Working together I believe we can refine it to suit our needs, and train them up to be a cohesive fighting team."

"Well that's… definitely ambitious," Giles admitted. "Are you suggesting a…a partnership?"

"I believe that by not working together we would be failing them, so yes, a partnership in training them."

"It would definitely improve their odds of survival," Giles admitted. One of Giles's worst fears was that at any point in the future one of the Scoobies would be killed or worse despite everything. Buffy and more recently Anakin couldn't be at their side twenty-four hours a day and what he was proposing had the real tangible benefit of making them strong enough to protect themselves and each other. He couldn't find a downside to that in the least. Oddly Giles wondered why he had never thought of the idea before. A small, highly trained team supporting a Slayer and a Jedi…the Vamps in Sunnydale wouldn't stand a chance.

Slowly a predatory smile crossed Giles's face. "Then I look forward to working with you Anakin. And please, call me Rupert."

***********************

**The Enclave**

**July 1****st**

Anakin entered the training chamber to find Xander finishing his warm up routine. Moving to the weapons rack Anakin removed two katana's and handed one of them to Xander.

"Your training has been progressing by leaps and bounds Xander; you have made remarkable progress thus far, but you still have a long way to go. There have been a few rough spots along the way, but you have managed to persevere. Your control of the Force has been growing by leaps and bounds with each session; I believe that you are ready for the next level of your training," Anakin stated.

"Graduating to sword fighting eh, Master?" Xander smirked.

Anakin grinned. "The very basics my young padawan. We are going to be studying basic Saber techniques. For the Jedi there are seven recognized forms of Lightsaber combat. You'll be receiving rudimentary training in all seven forms, but the main one I'll be teaching you initially is actually a one of the simplest and yet one of the most effective of the Jedi Order. Form III: Soresu. Most Padawans usually begin their saber training in Shi-Cho before moving on to other forms; since it is the easiest of all seven forms. But I have a feeling you are up to the challenge, and this form in when used properly will serve you well." Anakin didn't mention that he felt they were running short on time which was why he was condensing Xander's initial Saber technique. He wanted to be sure that Xander was at least proficient in basic defense before moving on to the more offensive forms.

"Why that particular one, Master?" Xander asked.

"It is critical that we work on defense first. As Jedi our mandate is clear, we use the Force for knowledge and defense, never to attack. Your initial saber training must be a reflection of this. But just as importantly, this form is also one of the simplest of the seven forms to learn but takes a lifetime to master. It is critical you understand this. It will help you counter two key factors that we _will_ inevitably be facing while in combat here on the Hellmouth."

"What is that, Master?" Xander asked.

"That we will probably always be outnumbered and that we must have a strong solid defense for not just ourselves but our allies as well. Training you in Soresu will be our way of countering that. Once I'm confident in your skills we will move on to other forms."

Xander took the Katana handed to him and studied the blade before taking a few test swings. Being a master swordsman himself, Anakin observed the rather unsteady way Xander held the blade. From this one hint alone it confirmed a suspicion that Anakin had long suspected, Xander had no skill with a blade whatsoever.

"Are you even aware of how to use that properly?" Anakin asked with just a hint of amusement.

"Sure I do." Xander shrugged, and then pointed to the tip of the blade. "Pointy end goes into the other guy. Simple."

Anakin sighed. "This is going to take a lot of work," he muttered. Then he frowned. "And did you just quote 'The Mask of Zorro'?"

Xander gawked in astonishment. It was a rare thing for his master to catch yet the latest cultural reference out of his mouth. Anakin had often commented, not during training naturally, on how Xander seemed to love to taunt him with them.

"Yeah I did." said Xander, still a little surprised. "Hey hang on… so did you!" Xander's brow furrowed. He turned to face his master with a lopsided grin of confusion. "How did _you_ recognize that?"

"There are occasions I leave my residence to explore the town on my own. I want to see for myself the people I'm fighting for. Experience the cultures that make up this world and its many languages. I happened on the theater just as the movie was about to begin."

Xander blinked. _His master had a life…. during the daytime?_ Xander had imagined he spent most of his time patrolling the town after the night had fallen, not sitting in movie theaters, eating popcorn! Before he could help himself he smirked at the humorous image.

After a few seconds, realizing his master probably wouldn't take kindly to being laughed at, Xander hurriedly looked away. Looking around for something to do, he picked up a cloth and began pointlessly polishing his sword.

Anakin, momentarily lost in his own thoughts, didn't seem to notice. He was standing, head slightly bowed, musing. His sword still rested in its scabbard at his feet.

After a few moments, he looked up. Xander alert for any movement, paused and gazed at him questioningly. Privately Anakin was pleased. It seemed that his student was beginning to value patience. That or it could be he had learnt the hard way not to disturb his master when they were thinking. Ah well, the result was the same.

Anakin summoned his sword to his hand with a casual thought. Removing it from its scabbard, which he discarded, he gestured for Xander to stand in front of him.

"Hold up your sword". Xander complied awkwardly. It looked like he was holding a stick, and was afraid it was going to catch fire in his hands any moment.

Anakin sighed. He let go of his sword, which obediently floated in the air beside him, and moved to stand close to Xander. Reaching out, he gently but firmly adjusted Xander's fingers, moving them until his student was holding the hilt of the sword in the proper grip.

"Ok?" Xander nodded. "Good, remember where your fingers are. Until I tell you different, every time you pick up the sword, make sure you're holding it like that. Before you do anything else! It should become second nature after a while."

Xander nodded, flexing his fingers slightly as he got used to the new grip.

Anakin backed away, reaching out and retrieving his discarded sword out of the air without so much as a backwards glance. He brought it up before him smoothly, adopting the same two handed grip as Xander.

He nodded to Xander, who obediently copied him, clumsily bring the sword up before him. His movements after all were enthusiastic, but sloppy and uncontrolled.

Privately Anakin wondered whether his student was going to chop his own ears off before the evening was out.

"This is the opening stance of Soresu." he stated clearly. "Remember it. If in doubt, always return to this stance."

Xander nodded

"Now, watch closely" As he spoke, Anakin slowly moved his blade, moving it into position for a simple block.

He repeated it one or two times, taking care to emphasize each of the three stages of the movement.

"Now, copy me."

Xander tried, but before he had moved far Anakin held up his hand.

"Slowly. Speed is not the aim yet, it is your control of the blade. Speed will come with time, right now it is your control of the sword we must work on."

"Now, back to the opening stance"

Xander complied.

"Begin again."

As his student's blade moved again, slowly this time, in imitation of Anakin's own graceful motions, the Jedi thought back to the subject of their earlier conversation.

It had been a week earlier when had made one of his infrequent forays into exploring the rich culture this town and world he now resided on. Most of it had been done through books or occasionally the internet. It was only recently he had begun venturing into town alone, exploring some of the festivities in town with his own senses and simply to meet people. This usually happened during the evening, because even he required sleep, and since he spent most nights patrolling, he rarely ventured out during the day.

This time had been an exception however. He had needed to visit one of the city's administrative centers during the day, in order to obtain a document which formed part of his newly created identity. Since he had been in the town anyway, he had wandered the streets, enjoying the very different atmosphere at mid-day from that he was accustomed to in the evenings. On a whim, he had wandered into a movie theatre, attracted by the bright lights and dramatic posters on it's exterior. There, in a dark almost empty room, he had spent a few blissful hours of amusement in watching a movie of man caped in black performing feats and heroics implausible to anyone but a Jedi. It wasn't quite the Holo novels he was used to back home but it had allowed him to relax and simply enjoy the movie; it was something he hadn't done in quite awhile.

He blinked. Xander had a pained look on his face. Anakin could tell immediately from the boy's stance he was doing the movement wrong. Even without muscle memory, that block should never have caused him any pain or strain.

He again left his own sword floating in mid air, and stepping forward, took hold of his students upper arm. "No. You're making a common mistake. You're not moving your body. That's why the move feels painful. Relax your spine, and try not to look like you've been frozen to the spot."

He moved Xander's upper arms through the motion again slowly.

"Now… do it again"

****************

**Sunnydale High School**

**July 6****th**

After yet another long night of patrolling with precious few hours of sleep the scoobies one by one made their way to the school. Sunnydale high had become their defacto headquarters where they would meet up, check in, chill and prepare for the next patrol before going about their daily business. The four teens moved sluggishly through the empty halls of the school, taking their time as the finally approached the Library.

The sight that greeted them when they arrived inside the library however made all four teens look around in confusion. The library looked as if it had been remodeled, the main table was still there but there were a variety of swords, knives and other assorted weaponry. On the main counter there were half a dozen crossbows all loaded and ready with satchels holding dozens of arrows for reloads. None of the weapons seemed familiar to the scoobies, and all of them were by now very familiar with Giles's arsenal.

Taking in more of their surroundings the scoobies also saw large patted mats on the floor and mounted dummies just off to the side. Next to the stairwell were two large dry erase boards with numerous drawings that Xander easily identified as simple, easy to follow instructions in small unit tactics.

And standing next to the main table, side by side, equally decked out in workout gear, stood Anakin and Giles, both wearing knowing smirks. Xander, not for the first time recently, suddenly had a flash of soldier guy's memories. The overall scene in the library bore in many ways scary similarities to that first day in basic training in which a team of drill sergeants descended on a group of privates like a pack of hungry wolves.

_Uh oh…_

"Ah, Willow, Cordelia, Xander, Oz. I trust you all got enough rest last night?" Giles asked cheerily.

"What's going on, Giles?" Willow asked nervously. Cordelia and Oz simply looked around in confusion.

"It has come to my attention that the four of you are serious in carrying on in Buffy's absence. I find your dedication and courage to be commendable and I am proud of each and every one of you. However your skills are….somewhat lacking. Today we will begin to rectify that. Working together, Anakin and I have developed a training program highly suited to our needs. We will spend several hours a day practicing basic hand to hand combat, marksmanship, and simple and easy to use tactics." Giles explained.

"Willow you and I will also be doing some additional training in the basic tenants of magic," he added.

Willow's eyes brightened as she perked up at hearing this, her earlier discomfort entirely forgotten.

"Didn't we like already get training or something?" Cordelia asked.

Anakin nodded. "The training you received was perhaps the most basic I could teach you. It focused mainly on communication and coordinating your efforts as a team. To some degree it has worked, but now we are going to take that to the next level."

"This is not a game. You all know this." Giles lost his smirk and looked towards the teenagers with all due seriousness. "Pay attention to what we teach you here. It may very well save your life and allow you to aid others in need more effectively then you already have. It will require you to sacrifice yet more of your free time over the summer. But I believe the sacrifice to be worth it. However, if any of you feel differently you're free to leave at any time and I will think nothing less of you for doing so."

Despite their growing apprehension none of the four made a move to the door. They knew what was being asked of them. They were being asked to take the slaying seriously and not some game, something which they had been already been doing.

"Good." Giles nodded with a warm smile.

"I have a question." Willow raised her hand.

"What is it, Willow?' Giles asked.

"What about school? I mean training over the summer is ok and all…but what happens when school starts back up? Willow asked.

"A good question, Willow" Giles smiled. "Suffice to say we are taking advantage of the extra time allotted to us. Once school starts again it will hamper training. But since you all 'hang out' at the library after school I see no reason why we can't train after the school day has ended."

"So are we like, starting right now?" Cordelia asked with an almost eager look.

"Yes." Anakin answered. "We will build on the basics you are familiar with; team work. It will be the basis for _all_ of your training. Communicating, coordinating and fighting as a cohesive fighting unit. Under no circumstances will you ever engage the enemy alone. Am I clear on this?"

All four teenagers nodded.

"Good." Anakin nodded in satisfaction then he stepped back allowing Giles to take the lead.

"Today we will start with the basics; learning how to break your fall correctly, simple takedowns and basic punching and kicking exercises." Giles smiled warmly.

So lets take a few minutes for some simple stretching and then we'll begin."

* * *

**The Enclave**

**July 15****th**

"Master, I _have_ to ask you, what do you have against piggy banks?" Xander asked. Once again they were in the Training chamber as had become their daily custom for almost a month now, where for the next several hours they would conduct their intensive training. On the table next to the main workbench were pennies….lots and _lots_ of pennies. It was drawing some rather funny looks from Xander.

"We're going to be working on integrating your Force perceptions with your other five senses. This way you can see with both your eyes and the Force and anticipate attacks before they happen," Anakin began.

"So how does killing every piggy bank in town accomplish this?"

"We're going to be working on your defensive and precognitive abilities. To see attacks before they happen and counter them," Anakin explained. "When I feel comfortable we'll move on to other Force related skills and defenses. "

"…Ok. At least we're not using the machine guns yet, which I consider a big plus."

"Relax, you're not quite there, _yet_." Anakin smirked. "But you're getting there."

"You see I'm not sure if I should be comforted or worried you said that," Xander quipped.

"Enough. Pick up the sword and move to the mat."

Xander did as instructed, picking up a broadsword and moving to the center of the training mat. He stood in a classical guard stance and waited.

"Now, I'm going to attack you using the pennies, hitting you from all sides. I want you to anticipate their attacks, feel them coming and deflect them. As you become more comfortable I'll increase the intensity of my attacks. I'll be probing you, testing for weaknesses. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my Master," Xander answered. He tightened his grip on the sword.

Anakin stood back and extended his hand, drawing the first pennies off the table and hurtling them toward Xander at a rather sedate pace, well, sedate for a Jedi. It was at times like this that Anakin really missed even the most basic technology he had grown so accustomed to back home. Where once he would be using remote droids for this portion of Xander's training, he was now forced to adapt his training program using whatever means he had available, no matter how crude. He tallied remote droids to his mental list of items he would need to procure or construct in the future.

Xander deflected the first of the pennies with the sword easily, integrating the Force with his other five senses he was able to see their attacks coming and always had his blade there to meet them...most of the time. Unfortunately he wasn't always fast enough; with several of pennies breaching his defenses and striking his body. They continued this way for about half an hour with Anakin gradually increasing the speed of his attacks and the number of pennies in his volleys while Xander did his best to keep up, but as they progressed in speed and numbers more and more pennies were able to breach Xander's defenses. And he could feel Xanders frustration increase with each hit.

"Concentrate padawan, focus with the Force, don't try to force it, just let it flow, let it guide you," Anakin stated.

"It controls your actions?" Xander asked, deflecting several more pennies.

"Partially, but it also responds to your commands."

Xander grunted in frustration as he was tagged in the forehead with a penny but he kept his focus. By now the entire training Mat was engulfed in a literal sphere of pennies with Anakin attacking from several angles at a time, most of them being blocked by Xander but as Anakin increased the intensity of his attacks the number of hits began to pile up.

"You're using your other senses too much, the Force not enough. Stretch out with your feelings; see their attacks before then counter them," Anakin instructed.

"Yes master." Xander breathed heavily. He was sweating profusely now, his shirt drenched and hair matted to his scalp, a testament to the heavy training Anakin was putting him through. The attacks came on again, far faster than before and from every angle; again Xander swept his sword in graceful arcs of movement consistent with Soresu. The moves and stances by now very familiar to him.

Anakin stood back, directing his attacks with minimal effort while the rest of his mind analyzed the flaws he was seeing in Xander's defense. There were quite a few, sloppy posture, poor execution, too slow, over extending… etc, etc, etc. But for his first time Xander was doing quite well. With a little more time and training it would come to him.

Anakin would make sure he was ready when the coming battle arrived.

**************

**The Bronze **

**That night**.

"Has anyone noticed that Xander has been spending a lot of time at Anakin's place?" Willow asked. The Scoobies minus Xander were once again at the Bronze. It was a normal night and the place was filled to about half capacity with no band on stage tonight, just the regular DJ.

"You're not jealous that he has a new friend are you?" Cordelia asked from across the table.

"Well no, but I think something's going on, Xander's been acting…I don't know…different."

"More details needed on the term different, babe," Oz asked from his position next to Willow.

"Well…he's …calmer and quieter, he's not quite as he used to be." Willow voiced her thoughts in her usual babble.

"His jokes have gotten better," Oz piped up.

"Oz! I'm trying to convey my concerns here, you're supposed to listen, that's what boyfriends do."

"Oh I'm all ears, babe; I just don't see why you're all worked up. Anakin's a cool guy; hanging with him can only mean his coolness can rub off on Xander a bit."

"Yeah." Cordelia smiled contently "And it's like he's become super boyfriend or something. I mean take yesterday for example, we were at the Espresso Pump and I was craving a Mocha when Xander just got up and got it for me, in fact he's been doing a lot of stuff like that for me lately. He's dressing _a lot_ better; there was a time I had to pick out his clothes for him. In fact I can't remember a time when our relationship…or any relationship I've ever been in has been this good. What's your deal with him anyway?"

"Xander?"

"No, Anakin," Cordelia clarified.

"I just think he's not telling us something important, something that's really going to bite us in the ass later on." Willow explained.

"Well if it makes you feel any better I agree with you." Cordelia agreed.

"You do?" Willow asked in surprise.

"Of course, I mean any woman who hasn't picked up on the whole 'tortured soul' routine, especially after what we've been through, needs to get her head examined."

"So why are you being all nice to him then?" Willow asked.

"Because _I _don't believe in being jealous," Cordelia explained pointedly. "I may not be spending as much time with Xander as I used to before he started hanging with Anakin, but what time I do spend with him is a lot better. It's the whole quality vs quantity argument."

"I'm not jealous!" Willow fired back.

"In denial much?" Cordelia countered.

"Oz, tell her," Willow pleaded with pout.

"Oh I'm going to do the smart guy thing and stay out of this."

"You don't get to stay out of this." Willow said with a forced smile that all men universally _knew_ as 'you better agree with me or else' smile.

"I'm going to have to go out on a limb and agree with Cordelia here," Oz said.

"What!? Why?" Willow asked slightly offended.

"Well, babe it's no secret you don't like the guy, and I'm cool with that. But you gotta ask yourself this, is the fact that you don't like him due to you seeing him as someone taking Xander away from you? Or as a genuine he 'means us harm' threat?"

"Well…I...I..." Willow paused, her face flushing a shade of red matching her hair. "Xander had a bad feeling about Angel and look how that turned out," Willow diverted.

"Yeah but Xander _has_ unresolved feelings for Buffy," Cordelia pointed out in a slightly bitter tone. "He saw Angel more as a competitor for Buffy's affection then a real threat."

"I'm thinking the whole rampaging murderer thing kinda got to him too, but we'll not go there," Oz added.

"The point, is that Anakin is not trying to take Xander away from us, we are the only friends he has. You're overreacting Willow," Cordelia said.

Willow looked at Oz questioningly. "Have I been acting really jealous like?"

"Just a little babe, but it's no big deal, you're loyal to your friends and I respect that. Just be honest with yourself about your feelings."

"Ok," Willow said glumly "I guess I _have_ been a bit hard on the guy, but I still don't trust him and I still think he's hiding something."

"Caution is a good thing." Oz nodded sagaciously.

Willow grimaced. "Think he knows I don't like him?"

"I'm going out on a limb to say _yeah_," Cordelia said sarcastically. "He probably picked it up before any of us did. The guy's pretty perceptive as far as men go."

"So what am I supposed to do then?" Willow asked.

"Look, you want to know what you should do?" Cordelia asked. Willow nodded. "Just accept it for what it is. I know you want to keep things as they were before Buffy left, but you've got to understand that things change, they're never going to be the same as they were before she left, even if she does come back. So suck up your jealousy and stop being so passive aggressive, it's kind of annoying."

"Gee _thanks_ Cordelia." Willow rolled her eyes.

"Glad I could help." Cordelia smiled, either not noticing or not caring about Willow's sarcasm.

"I say we trust Xander," Oz said. "He's his own man; he has to make his own decisions."

**********

**Sunnydale High School**

**July 17****th**

"Hiyaaaa!!!" A strong feminine battle cry echoed across the quad of Sunnydale high school. After two weeks of relentlessly drilling the scoobies in the basics of the martial arts Giles had felt comfortable in their growing skills to begin some formal sparing to take their training to the next level. Deciding that a change of scenery was called for, today's lesson was being held in the quad, on the compacted grass, with no mats. This had raised some early protests that were quickly silence by both Anakin and Giles, who explained, quite reasonably, that any real fight against a vampire wouldn't take place on a nicely cushioned mat.

Cordelia was currently the first one up, facing off against Anakin, who was simulating a Vampire in their sparing session. She attacked fiercely; taking the fight to Anakin with powerful kicks and punches and amazingly, blocking the few return blows Anakin threw back. But with each blow she blocked a noticeable grimace of pain etched itself on her face. Despite the fact Anakin was clearly holding back, it soon became evident that Cordelia wasn't going to win the fight, as Anakin slowly pushed her back and broke through her defenses.

In a move of pure desperation Cordelia threw a wild right hook in a classic haymaker that Anakin easily ducked under. But it soon became apparent that her attack wasn't intended to land but to distract. Spinning with the momentum of her strike Cordelia brought her left arm up, intending to land a nasty back fist, but Anakin easily caught her arm and locked it behind her back.

Cordelia however wasn't done yet as she reversed her momentum to drive her right elbow into Anakin's face. Anakin also caught this strike and locked her other arm behind her as well, completely immobilizing Cordelia in place no matter how much she struggled to break free. Then, to signal the killing blow, Anakin lowered his head to Cordelia's neck and whispered something into her ear. At once Cordelia ceased struggling and a look of annoyance crossed her face just as Anakin released her. He patted her on the shoulder encouragingly then motioned for her to join the others.

"Cordelia is dead." Anakin stated flatly, once she sat with the others. "Can anyone tell me what she did wrong?"

Xander, Willow and Oz who had all been intently watching from a discreet distance shared looks but neither spoke up for a moment.

"She was too aggressive" Oz finally spoke up with a thoughtful look on his face.

Giles moved closer "Can you be more specific, Oz?"

Oz pressed on "She tried to take the fight to Anakin but she got overpowered quickly."

"The way she fought seemed familiar, almost like she was trying to fight like Buffy." Xander added.

Giles took off his glasses and began to polish them with a cloth "And why is that a bad thing? A vampire that corners you isn't going to give you much of a choice but to fight for your life. So what did Cordelia do wrong?"

"She didn't use any weapons." Xander quickly added.

"Precisely." Giles smiled as he redoned his glasses. "The cross that Cordelia wore around her neck or the bottle of holy water in her pocket could have aided her significantly in the fight. But Cordelia went straight into hand to hand without so much as a blink. As you are all no doubt aware, Vampires are significantly stronger than humans, on the order of three times our strength and speed. To go, excuse the term, 'toe to toe' with one, unarmed, will more than likely end in your death."

Anakin stepped forward. "This is why you must always be armed. It is the equalizing factor when fighting something with superior speed and strength" Anakin picked up without missing a beat "But remember this, the greatest weapon you posses is not what's in your hand, but your mind."

Giles nodded in complete agreement "You're not Slayers, so fighting like one will get you nowhere fast. As normal humans we just don't have the ability to fight them on their level. However, despite our best efforts, there will be times you will either be disarmed or caught unaware. Should that happen you will need to adjust your tactics accordingly. Dodge, weave, redirect, counter… do whatever you can to keep your enemy off balance long enough to look for an improvised weapon or means of escape. The most important thing is that you come out alive."

The scoobies, with the exception of Xander listened with rapt attention as the dynamic duo slowly and carefully explained their lesson. While the scoobies were mostly familiar with the basics Xander he couldn't help but feel a sense of Déjà vu with the way Giles and Anakin seemed to switch up on the scoobies. It again brought up a number of Soldiers guys memories of basic training. Where a team of Drill Sergeants would tag team a group of recruits who were a little slow to catch onto a lesson. Feeding off each other's momentum they would mercilessly hammer home their point until the hapless recruit or recruits finally got it.

"Xander, your next." Anakin's voice cut through Xander's thoughts.

Xander nodded and moved forward with feigned trepidation. Xander was not to utilize the Force in any way during these group training sessions. Which meant the embarrassing asskicking he was about to receive would look almost genuine. Running his hands through his hair Xander nervously stepped forward. It was going to be one of those days.

******************

**The Enclave**

**July 19****th**

Xander frowned deeply as he looked at the object before him. The best way he could think to describe it was a giant crate about fifteen feet high, long, and wide. Slowly he looked over to his master, who was smirking like he knew something Xander didn't and put on his best scowl.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"Nope," Anakin said in that cheery voice he only took on when he was doing something especially creative and sadistic. "I'm quite serious. I want you to move this." He point to the crate. "To there." He pointed to a large 'X' painted on the dirt about forty feet to the left. "And I want you to move it higher than that." He smiled and pointed to a string run between two poles that was a good thirty foot off the ground.

Xander blinked and repeated himself. "You've got to be kidding me."

"No," Anakin replied with a smile. "I am quite serious."

"That's impossible!" Xander exclaimed. "I can't move that! Hell, I don't know what it is."

"It is an economy sized box of packing material," Anakin drawled.

"Who's economy?" Xander responded incredulously. "China's?"

Ignoring his sarcasm, Anakin smirk grew even wider, if that was at all possible. "It's relatively light actually." Lifting his arm, his master looked at him warmly. "Let me show you."

Slowly Anakin's face lost its mirth and became calm and focused. Xander privately referred to this as his 'serious face', because it was the face he made when he was doing something serious. You know, like killing vampires, lecturing on the dangers of the dark side, and moving Godzilla sized boxes of packing peanuts.

Slowly the crate lifted off the ground and with deceptive ease, Anakin's hand tracked it over the string and onto the X. Then, without even letting it touch the ground he lifted it again, crossed the string once more and back onto the spot where it started.

"See?" Anakin asked him. "I told you it was easy."

Xander frowned slightly and glanced over. Okay it didn't look that hard. Of course his master was, well, the master and he was just the Padawan learner. He paused in thought for just a moment. One day he'd have to ask what 'Padawan' really meant. In the same thought, he realized he didn't know the definition of the word Jedi either. Oh well. Questions for another time. Right now he had more immediate issues.

"I'll try, but..."

"Do or do not," Anakin cut in.

"There is no try," Xander finished, ending with a sigh. "Okay, I'll do it. Just tell me why I'm doing it."

Anakin smiled at him then. It really put him on edge, like he was being set up for a prank that everyone but him knew about. "It's just to get you used to moving large, bulky objects."

Xander nodded and looked at it. "Alright."

Slowly he took a deep breath and focused on the huge box. He couldn't help but smile as it slowly lifted off the ground. Yeah. I can do this. He told himself as it slowly cleared the rope.

"Xander," Anakin said slowly, looking quite amused. "I have to admit that I have not been entirely forthright with you."

Xander paused and looked over, making sure to keep the crate hovering about thirty feet over the marked spot. "What do you mean?"

"This crate. How much do you think it weighs?"

"I don't know. It's pretty big. Maybe a couple tons? It's pretty heavy but you said that once I got used to it I could move cars and stuff."

Anakin's face twisted into something he could only call a shit eating grin. "It weights two-hundred and twenty five tons."

"It what?!" Xander exclaimed as the crate suddenly went from being bulky but transportable to heavy beyond conception in his grasp.

The big box smashed onto the ground with a deafening crash. The earth shook underfoot and the box, which he now saw was made out of solid steel split open, spilling literally tons of sand onto the ground under foot.

"You lied to me!" Xander exclaimed pointing his finger at his teacher. What the hell kind of game was this?

"Everything I said was true, from a certain point of view."

"You said it was full of Styrofoam peanuts," Xander accused,

"I said no such thing," Anakin replied. "I said it was full of packing material."

"And what the hell do you pack with sand?"

Anakin looked into the sky in thought. "Foundations for buildings, nuclear reactors, defensive positions..."

"Okay, okay. But you said it was light."

Anakin lifted his finger to cut him off. "No, I said it was _relatively_ light."

"Compared to what?"

"A Star Destroyer."

Xander paused. Huh? "What's a Star Destroyer?"

"A question for another day, my Padawan learner. Now I have a question for you. What was the lesson I just taught you."

"My master likes to play pranks on his poor, hapless student?"

Anakin laughed. "Besides that."

Xander frowned and looked at the smashed remains of the box. Slowly his head traced the path he'd moved it. It was strange. He'd been able to do it, but had failed at the last moment, once he realized what he'd been moving. His frowned deepened. That was it, wasn't it?

"It's all in my head, isn't it?" he asked. "I mean, I was about to move the crate when I thought it was light, when I thought I could do it, but once I realized how heavy to move it really was, it fell. I thought it was impossible so it became impossible." He paused. "It's all in my head. The only limits I have are the ones I bring with me."

Anakin walked over to him, his eyes twinkling with pride, and laid his hands on his student's shoulders. "Well done. You have learned today's lesson. I'm proud of you."

Xander smiled as a feeling of contentment and pride. It was rare that he figured something out on his own. It was even rarer for someone to show pride in him.

"Now onto the next lesson!" Anakin waved his hand and pulled a backpack over to him. "Put this on and run a lap around the grounds."

Xander looked down and tried to lift it. It weight a ton. "What is in this, Bricks?"

"Yes."

Xander blinked "What?"

"It's full of bricks."

"You expect me to run a lap with this on my back," Xander repeated.

"Yes, unless you'd like to run two laps?"

Xander gulped. He knew that Anakin wasn't kidding. He had the serious face again. "No, Master."

"Put on the backpack."

Xander grimaced. "Yes, Master."

Slowly he fought gravity and pulled the god awful heavy pack onto his back. It felt like it was crushing him.

"Now go!"

*******************

**The Enclave**

**July 23rd**

Anakin entered the training chamber to find Xander already there, practicing his Force techniques. He was in a perfect handstand position and was levitating a sword and several nearby books. From what Anakin could see, the sword was moving through stances and positions consistent with the Soresu form. Studying his young padawan for a moment Anakin could not help but be amazed at the progress his young apprentice was making. His grasp of the Force and his developing saber techniques were progressing by leaps and bounds; his abilities growing with each new training session. It was truly awe inspiring and more than a little frightening, but that wasn't the reason why he was down here. He had something he wanted to show his apprentice.

"Xander, come here for a minute," Anakin said.

Xander slowly lowered the books then returned the sword to the nearby weapons rack with the Force before finally standing upright. He moved to Anakin's side near the main workbench.

"What's up, Master?"

"I have something I want to show you." Anakin said. He handed Xander a picture; which was a computer generated blue print of something he'd been working on for the past few weeks.

Xander studied the blue print for a moment before regarding his master with his trade mark lopsided grin. "What's this?"

"That is a Lightsaber," Anakin informed him.

"The weapon made of pure ownage you were telling me about?" Xander asked. Anakin nodded.

"Cool!"

"These are the technical schematics to build one, however acquiring certain components is proving to be somewhat challenging."

"Like what?" Xander asked.

"The blade emitter, circuit board, and hilt I can make with standard materials. That is not the problem," Anakin related. Xander studied each individual section as Anakin named them off.

"So what's the problem then, Master?"

"The problem is the power cell, superconductor and the focusing crystal. There's also the overall question of quality and safety. From what I have managed to learn through my research; only large corporations or governments carry the kind of high quality materials we will need, and even then 'high quality' may not be high enough," Anakin related with some frustration.

"Maybe Mr. Groves can help us?" Xander suggested. "You still keep in contact with him, right? Let's have him put those corporate resources to good use."

Anakin raised his eyebrows in appraisal. It was actually something he hadn't thought of, but Xander did bring up a good point of utilizing his new contact to the fullest. "I believe you might be on to something, Xander."

"Glad I could help, Master. Besides, I can't wait to see you build these awesome weapons" Xander smiled and looked to the schematic with childlike enthusiasm.

"_You_ will be constructing your own Lightsaber, Xander," Anakin corrected. "It's one of the key trials for a Jedi; each Lightsaber is as unique as the person who wields it. Your Lightsaber must reflect you and no one else."

"Not a problem, Master. How hard can it be?" Xander quipped.

Anakin rolled his eyes, took the blueprint from Xander and turned it right side up then handed it back to him.

Xander winced. "Right."

* * *

**Sunnydale High School**

**The same day.**

Giles paused in his perusal of an obscure work of lore, turning his head towards the open communicating door of his office in the direction of the main library doors. A call of "Giles" from beyond the confines his inner sanctum confirmed that he had interpreted the earlier noise correctly.

For several months now, to his mild-annoyance, one of the double doors of his library did not fail to open without emitting a mild squeak. This noise, the product of a vampire impacting upon the doors following contact with one blonde slayers 'apparently' fashionably clad foot, had thus far resisted any attempt by maintenance to alleviate it. The faint _squeek_, had for some time driven him to near distraction, but the feeling had subsided to mild but tolerant annoyance once he realized its usefulness as a forewarning of visitors to his domain.

After first carefully closing the cover of the aged tome he had been consulting, to protect the delicate pages, he rose from his chair and strode into the main library. His eyes fell upon a familiar shock of red hair, the owner of which's attentions were clearly absorbed in a book which lay open upon the main library table.

"Good Evening, Willow." The owner of the red head of hair didn't quite _jump_ at the sound of his voice, but there was definitely a sudden twitch as she hurriedly straightened up from where she had been bending over.

"Hello Giles," said Willow, relaxing now she saw who had spoken.

"I see you found one of the books I dug out for you," replied the librarian kindly, descending the few steps from the library's upper sections to join her.

"Yep. It looks fascinating," replied Willow, her eyes eagerly flicking back to where it still lay open below her. She'd only just had time to turn a few pages, but the contents of those few had made her mind boggle. There were magical ideas, theories and spells in here like none she had encountered in her own research.

She was therefore a little disappointed when the librarian carefully but firmly lifted one cover and shut the book. Her feelings must have shown on her face, for he raised his hands. "We'll come to that later I promise, but first there are basics of theory you must understand before using this magic."

"Cool, ok. Lay it on me Giles"

Giles closed his eyes briefly, though whether at the Americanism, or the content of her reply he wasn't sure. "Willow, please understand. You have shown a very good, near excellent grasp of the basics of magic you have thus far encountered.

"But this", he said, laying a hand on a book on the table, "this, is a step up. It takes more than a sharp mind, and great desire to learn. Defensive Magic is one of the more difficult and risky fields of magic to master. It takes, wisdom, knowledge, judgment, understanding of the dangers involved, and most important of all, control."

Willow's features registered various expressions at these words. She looked thoughtful, annoyed, pleased and at length, determined. It was with the last of these expressions fixed firmly on her face that she confronted Giles.

"Ok. Cool. So… this is something I'll have to work for. No instant super smart brainy witch Willow then. Giles registered the question, and the slight tone of disappointment in the redhead's tone.

"Exactly." Said Giles, relieved she had at least for now resolved to follow his advice.

Willow nodded absently.

"So," she said, looking round. "Where do we start?"

******

Willow was bored. No, that was unfair. She wasn't bored, she was frustrated. _Frustrated?_ Yes, definitely frustrated. She had spent almost an hour with Giles in the Library already that evening, and thus far she had yet to open a single book. As her thoughts turned in the direction of books, her eyes moved involuntarily to where one in particular rested.

The pair of them sat facing each other across the room. Giles, seated on the library steps, his features more than usually serious, was explaining the basic tenets of defensive spells. At his feet rested several books, as yet untouched, a practice sword, and to her bemusement several tennis balls.

Willow had been surprised to find that Giles was explaining the theory, some of it quite complex, from memory. She had known for some time that the Watcher had an extensive knowledge of magic, but thus far in their adventures he had relied primarily on the knowledge contained within his books. She had not realized that he was so personally versed in with the deeper and wider theory. Frustrated as she was, she had not missed that some of the examples Giles used to explain particular points of theory hinted at personal experience of their application.

Thus far Giles had described the various forms of defense spells; explaining that the many known defensive spells could be divided roughly between 'offensive' and 'passive.' He had then explained this seeming contradiction, describing the difference between an 'offensive' defense spell, employed against an attacker by the caster, or a 'defensive' defense spell, used by the caster to protect/shield or hide his or her person.

It was the second category which had most interested Willow. The thought of being able to create a magical shield around herself, and perhaps even her friends, aside from being very cool, was very attractive. These days the Scoobies often found themselves, despite and at the same time because of their rapidly rising kill ratio, facing tougher and more dangerous opponents. It seemed that they had already worked their way through the weaker deadly denizens of Sunnydale, and were left with those who had the wits and sense to avoid conflict except when the odds were firmly in their favor. Well that and the occasional evil newcomer attracted by the challenge. There seemed to be more of those recently too. Vampires and Demons that had heard of Anakin Skywalker from beyond Sunnydale and had come to make a name for themselves by taking him down. None had survived.

Willow sighed and concentrated on what Giles was saying. Her pen flew across the page of her notebook, jotting down the key points. Despite what the librarian had said earlier, it seemed that her study skills would prove of some use.

******

After a further thirty minutes, over which time Giles had recapped on the main points of his lecture, and questioned her on her own studies into the field of defensive magic the time at last came which Willow had been waiting for. Giles put down his notebook, which he had hardly referred to, and reached down to the various objects around his feet. Selecting a tennis ball, without warning he threw it to Willow. Surprised, she hesitated, fumbled at it, and missed. Giles made no comment. Rather sheepishly, she retrieved it from where it had rolled.

When she was once more seated Giles gestured to the tennis ball in her hand. "Thus far from what you've told me, your abilities are surprisingly potent, but wildly uncontrolled."

Willow pouted. "Hey" she interjected. Giles blinked. Willow reddened, interrupting teachers was not her usual behavior "Sorry" she mumbled, "definitely been spending too much time with Buffy."

Giles ignored his pupil's embarrassment. He gestured to the ball in her hand. "Willow, using your magic, lift that into the air." Willow complied eagerly, happy to stop dwelling upon her previous _faux pas_. She considered the right words to use, and then muttered a curt phrase in Latin. The tennis ball rose into the air. To be more precise, it shot upwards off Willow's palm like a rocket, impacting hard on the open rafters of the library, ricocheting noisily around the roof timbers. Willow ducked wildly as the small yellow projectile deflected towards her off an angled beam. It _thwacked _into the carpet, bounced upwards again and finally disappeared behind a row of bookshelves.

Willow lifted herself off the floor, her face bright red with embarrassment, and seated herself once more in her chair. She eventually lifted her eyes from the floor gaze to Giles face. His expression was completely composed. If his fears about her control had, as Willow firmly suspected, been strongly realized, he showed no satisfaction in being right. When he then spoke, it was not to chastise, but merely to quietly reiterate a point of the theory.

"Control, Willow, control is everything. Without control, your magic is as much a danger to yourself and your friends as it is to your enemies! _'That,' _he said, making his first and only reference to the tennis ball incident, "was just a tennis ball. But imagine if it had been something more deadly,"

Willow blanched. Already her energetic mind was filled with alternatives too horrible to think about. "But," Giles thankfully cut her horrible imagination short, "it was not. It was a lesson, and we will not dwell on it further." He paused. "Now…" he said, leaning forward to pass her another tennis ball..."let us try again."

*******

The fifth tennis ball that evening rose gently into the air. Willow's face displayed deep concentration. She had mastered…with a few tries…the art of making the ball rise slowly into the air and stay there. Unfortunately however she was finding further more complex manipulation of the ball more difficult. A small hole in a poster on the other side of the library was proof of that.

Across the room, holding a tennis racket close by for safety, Giles watched his pupil. Once the tennis ball reached the height of her shoulders, she tensed, and thinking back to what Giles had just told her, uttered a carefully chosen series of words. Her Latin pronunciation and accent were (in Giles's private opinion) appalling, but she had mastered one of the basics. One could harness, manipulate and control magic in various ways. When using verbal spells, channeling one's own (or borrowed) mystical energy, it was vitally important to be precise. Insufficient precision during the invocation of magic could have nasty (and potentially fatal side effects). A caster could move an object too quickly, or heat something too rapidly, or even produce results quite contrary to what was expected.

Giles's books were full of examples from history for instance of warlocks or magicians who had hurt loved ones or friends with flying objects, or burnt (or perhaps boiled) their friends to death in cold climates when trying to heat something up. Willow was therefore exactingly careful. She (rather long-windedly) ordered the tennis ball to rise slowly, to stop, and to stay floating. A more experienced caster would have managed the same with shorter more precise wording or just by their focus and will, and with less energy used, but that would come with time and practice.

"Good work, Willow" complimented Giles honestly. "Now, send the tennis ball...slowly...over here."

After a few moments' hesitation, the tennis ball floated slowly over to Giles. He had, for safety's sake, indicated for Willow to send the sphere not directly to himself, but to a pillar a few steps to his right. He had earlier warned Willow against naming a person as a destination in a spell, unless it was an enemy. The ball floated obediently to a pillar of the wooden balustrade around the upper level of the library stacks, but came to a halt only when it bumped gently into the wood. Apparently Willow's control was not yet good enough to make it halt. It was however a creditable effort and Giles caught the ball out of the air and smiled at Willow. "Now" he said clearly, "summon it back please."

******

They had progressed steadily. Willow was now happily summoning tennis balls back and forth from Giles. Every so often he would lift the tennis racket and hit one of them with some force back to her, forcing Willow to catch it. He insisted that she use magic for this, a demanding task, but the experience she could see would not be not without value.

Much as she tried to prevent it, her mind did from time to time wander. Once or twice again she considered the intriguing subject of Giles' unexpected knowledge. Then regretting her lapse, she concentrated on her practice, but after a while her overly-active mind again began to wander.

"Willow?" Giles's voice broke through her thoughts. She flushed slightly, and focused her attention on her teacher.

"Yes Giles?" she enquired, careful to keep her tone neutral. Her teacher gazed at her thoughtfully. After a few moments pause, he continued.

"Explain to me, if you please, why it requires more effort for you to control the movement of a ball, following an impact from my racket."

Willow considered, then recited what Giles had told her. "Magical energy comes in two forms, mystical and physical. Magic can use physical energy, manipulating it to its advantage. Magic cannot however directly break the laws of physics. Power must be come from somewhere. It can't be created."

Giles nodded. Willow paused... checking her thoughts, before carrying on, slightly more hesitantly. "So... when I use my magic to move the ball to you, I'm using my own mystical energy. But when you return it to me with the tennis racket, you're adding physical energy to my own. Because it's physical energy, the laws of physics apply, and I can slow it down with magic, but it requires more energy because of the additional physical energy component?"

"Correct. For any action there must be an equal and opposite reaction. Newtonian physics, it applies even to magic. Very good Willow" said Giles approvingly. Willow beamed at him.

"Now," said Giles, picking up another tennis ball. "Please continue, but use two balls this time.

Willow's brow furrowed, as she considered exactly what difference, if any, this extra ball made to the magical equation.

********

With a muted, but distinguishable double _'thud...thud_' the two tennis balls hit their target. Impacting upon the brightly colored paper target of a hurriedly drawn target, the tennis balls rebounded forcefully off the pillar it was fixed upon.

Giles, with admirable reflexes, managed to catch both of them.

Willow grinned at Giles. "That's 3 for 5" she said triumphantly.

Giles nodded.

"Better. But you still need to work on your accuracy, and your control. What if that had been a smaller target?" he pointed out. The slightly battered target now pinned to the same column as before was indeed quite large. Until he had pinned it up, Willow's accuracy handling two tennis balls had been less than desirable. She had a tendency if not careful to focus too much on one or the other of the yellow tennis balls, which had a tendency to make the others movements... unpredictable.

After several ducked near misses, one spectacularly broken intrinsically worthless but ritually important vase, and a couple of deformed tennis balls later, Giles had decided on a new tactic. Suspecting that at least part of the problem was in the wording Willow was using, he had put up the target. The immediate result had been a definite improvement in Willow's targeting, if not quite her control. Previously, simple wording and intent had been enough to define the destination of the projectiles she wielded. With the additional complication of controlling two projectiles, and allowing for both their movements, it had proven more difficult to define their destination properly. More than one of the near misses which had forced Giles to duck, had been caused by one or both of the tennis balls rebounding unpredictably at speed across the room, after initially targeting the _wrong_balustrade pillar.

With a defined target, which she could identify concisely in her spells without needing to wax lyrical at great length (always a dangerous idea in spells when an opponent might just close the distance and clobber you while you were chanting), her accuracy had improved from poor to perhaps acceptable. While Giles admitted it was not unlikely that the witch might encounter multiple vampires or demons of the same type in the future, at least _'demon'_ was easier and quicker to define than '_that wooden pillar over there with a little dent in it_.' It helped that vampires were technically demons anyway, a not unhelpful distinction he had found when it came to phrasing offensive spells, although with neutral half-demons around friendly fire might prove... awkward. Her control should anyway increase with time and practice.

He blinked, and returned from his wool gathering to the present.

"Yes. That was much better Willow. Again."

"Yes Sensei" said Willow cheerfully.

Giles frowned. "I am a watcher, a professor, not an imparter or sensei of the martial arts. While you may continue to address me as Mr. Giles during the sessions, if you would prefer to address me as something else, 'teacher' would be an appropriate title, Or if that does not suit, just Mr. Giles or Giles as always."

Willow muttered something indistinguishable.

"I'm sorry Willow, I didn't catch that?"

"Nothing ...Teacher."

"Very well, Willow! Now ... again please!"

Willow blinked. With a small sigh, she turned back towards the target, scooping up the balls from where they rested upon the floor.

*****

Ok, now Willow was _definitely_ bored! They had been at it for almost two and a half hours now, and she had for some time been looking wistfully at the clock. Whereas the first hour and half had passed seemingly in a blur, and she had learned so much, now the seconds seemed as long as minutes.

The balls impacted against the target once again. It was starting to look at little worn she noted absently, as she formed the words of the spell to bring them back in her mind. She spoke the Latin, slightly blasé now, and the balls zoomed back into her hand a lot faster than she had expected causing her to fumble them. She flinched, and shot a glance at Giles, but he was luckily absorbed in a text on defensive magic; presumably researching some future teaching point. He hadn't noticed her slip.

Slightly chastened, she sighed, and concentrating, began the exercise again. By now, the basic wording was second nature. It was her concentration and the wording she was trying to improve. It was like, she thought as she considered the situation, searching for an analogy, knowing the notes of a piece of music, but playing them badly. While pronouncing the exact wording was essential, focus on ones task was just as important. To be careless was extremely risky. Willow knew from Giles of the dangers of putting too much energy into a spell, or too little. Without the right focus and amount of care, bad things could happen. For once, the usually gregarious librarian hadn't bothered to elaborate on what _bad_ meant exactly. From the somber expression on his face however, she hadn't much doubt that _bad_ in this case really meant, well.... bad!

Willow blinked, dragging her runaway thoughts back to reality with an effort. Thrusting the balls forward, she pronounced the spell, and once again, they zoomed away towards the target, impacting upon it. By now though her control, although shaky, was good enough to prevent them rebounding uncontrolled backwards from the impact. Smiling slightly at her achievement, she brought them back to her hand.

She snatched another glance at Giles. He looked up in time to see the balls return smoothly to her hand, and gave a small nod. It was not the enthusiastic congratulations she perhaps wanted, but then on this subject Giles seemed even more exacting than usual, so she took it with some little pride.

Glancing wearily at the clock, the hands of which seemingly hadn't moved at all, she carried on.

Her mind turned, for reasons she later could not explain, to the subject of Anakin. She pondered upon what she knew of the older man. She reflected, not for the first time, upon the obvious holes in what he had revealed about himself. Willow hadn't spoken of it out loud, knowing as yet she had no proof of anything untoward about the stranger. Anyway, the others had already commented on her behavior. She knew without proof they would not take her feelings serious. But she was sure there were many things Anakin wasn't telling them, from her brief conversations with him recently even Xander realized that. But could his reticence to discuss his past be concealing more than painful memories?

Willow didn't know, but she was worried about the way Xander was spending more and more time with the attractive stranger. Unknown to herself, her mouth twisted into a small frown.

***************

Giles glanced up from the text. He saw with approval that Willow had a look of deep concentration on her face. She was frowning slightly. It was a familiar expression on her face, one he had seen often during their frequent research sessions. It spoke of deep concentration, and resolve to sort out a problem on her own. Willow's determination, and dare he say, stubbornness, was a valuable asset in her studies. These two factors complimented her natural intelligence. Giles lowered his head back to the text, smiling slightly. It was a private smile, the smile of a teacher proud of his student. He did not want to be seen to be watching her every move. That in his experience could discourage a student practicing their skills. Willow really was a brilliant young woman. He hoped she also would learn to ask for help when she needed it.

Only half concentrating on his texts, the other half of his mind was listening to the regular _"thud...thud"_ of Willow's practice. His sharp ears caught occasional mutterings amidst the regular and by now very familiar Latin of the spell she was using. He registered with some satisfaction that, after a while, the muttering vanished and the sound of the balls came gradually faster. It seemed Willow had hit upon a wording for her spell she thought most effective.

He glanced up

Willow's face was an emotionless mask, her lips tight together, her usually expressive features disturbingly still. He watched, in momentary incomprehension, as with just a sharp gesture of her hand, the tennis balls flew back into her hand. She caught them with icy precision, snatching them out of the air almost without a glance. Her eyes...were gazing into the mid distance, seemingly unfocused.

Giles, recovering from his shock, began to rise to his feet. Before he could fully straighten up, he received yet another shock. Willow's eyes, which his own had never really left, seemed to clear. Her gazed flicked to the target, then briefly to the balls in her hand, and then narrowed. Slowly drawing back her right arm to the shoulder, she briefly paused, then _pushed_ (that being the only word Giles could later use to describe what had happened) the tennis balls in the direction of the target.

The yellow projectiles seemed to blur as they left her hand. Giles, standing nearby, felt a pulse of deep wild magic, tightly controlled but as raw as anything he had ever sensed. He staggered slightly, even though the blow was not directed at him, falling back into his chair. His book slipped off his knees to hit the wooden floor with a loud crash. Giles took several deep breaths. The crash had seemingly broken Willow from whatever trance she had been in, for she swayed slightly, her hand dropping to her side. She blinked, her features still a blank mask, although this time Giles suspected her chief emotion was surprise. Then her mouth dropped open.

Giles slowly turned his head to match the direction of her gaze. There were two gaping holes, dead center, in the paper target. Giles rose, and with another long glance at Willow, walked silently to inspect it.

Taking hold of the mangled target, he pulled it away from the pillar, to reveal the wooden surface beneath. Now it was Giles's turn to blink. The two tennis balls, soft rubbery spheres, were astonishingly, impossibly, buried in the wood at the depth of some good two or three inches!

Giles for several moments just stared. After a few moments however, he moved closer, bending to examine the impossibility from close up. It was then, as he was running his fingers over the wood, probing at the shattered surface, that Willow first caught sight of what she had done.

Her strangled _squeek_ of shock, almost instantly muffled by the hands she pressed over her face to block out the site, succeeded in making Giles start violently upright for the third time that evening. Wincing, his back protesting at the sudden and violent movement, he spun around. Willow's body language showed, if possible, more stunned shock and fear than it had previously. At least, what little of her face that he could be seen, for she had both hands clasped firmly over her eyes, was white in shock.

Giles hurried over to her. Taking hold of her shoulders with a firm grip, for he feared she was about to faint, he guided her over to a chair. She was shaking slightly beneath his grip, and half sank half fell into the chair he directed her too.

Giles, drawing up a chair, sat opposite her. His mind was racing, and coming to all sorts of disturbing conclusions. He sighed quietly, sinking back a bit further into his chair, the expression upon his face deeply grave. Willow, lowering her hands tentatively, and catching sight of the librarians iron expression, immediately raised them again, hiding away. Giles swore silently under his breath, and with an effort composed his features.

"Willow" he spoke gently, careful to keep his tone non-committal.

Willow didn't move. Beneath her loose jacket her shoulders still shook slightly. .

"Willow. Please lower your hands. Please. I'm not going to shout at you."

The result of this infinitely calming statement, was a slightly reduction in the shaking, and a mumbled comment from behind Willow's shielding hands.

"What did you say?" asked Giles, his forced calm tone a complete contradiction to his actual state of mind.

"You're n- n- not going to shout at me, but y- y-you are going to be disapproving with me" came the muffled, halting and slightly stuttered reply

"Willow I" began Giles... then paused, honestly stuck for how to reply to that exactly.

Amazingly, this actually seemed to get through to Willow better than his earlier calm entreaties. Slowly, hesitantly, Willow lowered her hands from her face. She kept her head down, so that he couldn't see her expression, but she did at least drop her hands onto her lap. She clasped them tightly there, as if unsure what to do with them.

"Giles,... what just happened. What did I do... exactly?"

"Giles?"

***************

Disturbed, and slightly upset by the librarian's continued silence, Willow raised her head. Her curiosity overcoming her previous nerves, she raised her still wide eyes to his face. Giles was gazing at her. No... he was sort of gazing through her. His face.... he looked...older somehow. The lines around his forehead looked deeper.

"Giles" she whispered, although she was not sure why she did.

He lowered his head briefly, gazing at his hands, and then in a strange repeat of her own actions moments earlier, gazed up at her.

"Willow" his voice was harsh. She flinched. He grimaced, a look of apology flashing across his face. "Willow" he repeated more softly. "Sorry about that. I was ...miles away."

She smiled hesitantly.

"Willow" he began again. "What emotion were you feeling, just then?" "No" he interrupted her before she started to protest. "You were feeling something, something deep, raw."

She didn't know what to say. _How.... had she been.... oh god!_

He carried on, his words remorseless, but his tone reassuringly gentle.

"It was anger wasn't it?"

"Willow" he continued... "It WAS anger wasn't it" he said, louder now, but still gentle.

She nodded a small nervous gesture.

Giles was silent.

His face was grave again, deeply grave.

"Willow".... he began, then faltered slightly. "Willow," he began again "I've told you about focus, I've told you about control."

He paused, and then met her eyes. In his hazel eyes she saw.... pain. What he saw in her own she wasn't sure, but it apparently reassured him, or at least, encouraged him to continue.

"I didn't tell you about emotion."

"Emotion?" she repeated quietly.

"Yes..... Magic Willow is not a clinical emotionless force. It's not physics, even though it might harness physical power for its own ends. Magic is...unpredictable. It can be created by emotion; it can be distorted by it. Intense feelings, love, loss, hate, despair... they can create ripples in magic. And...Emotion can also make magic.... very dangerous.

Willow shook slightly. Giles's voice, which before had been gentle and comforting, had taken on a note of such earnest sincerity, such raw pain...that his words seemed to hit like hammer blows upon her shattered nerves.

"You mean.... it can control you...? Magic can leave you vulnerable?? Make you act..."

"Yes, and at the same time...No." Giles looked utterly drained, but there was a determined set in his shoulders and in the glint in his eyes.

"Deep emotion can make magic extremely unpredictable. Experiencing deep emotion cannot make magic control you... but your emotions can control your magic... in ways you never anticipated. Of course.... deep emotion, deep positive emotion is usually a good thing. Some of the greatest acts of sacrifice and pure good have been carried out by magic users to save those they love. But... sadly, some of the greatest acts of murder and butchery for which magic is responsible have been carried out by those who let their darker emotions control them. The most powerful negative emotion, hate, anger, utter loss... can make men & women do horrible things. When combined with magic, it becomes even worse."

Giles looked down at his hands.

When he spoke again... it was with such an expressionless tone, that it was more terrifying than any anger she had ever heard.

"Passion, good or bad, can grant magic users strength, and worse still, clarity of control, that normal emotions or feelings cannot equal. That was why you managed what you did Willow. That as well as the influence of the Hellmouth: a focus of the greatest evils in the world." He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Anger... gave you that control."

Willow crumpled. She collapsed back into her chair, the strength leaving her limbs as the horror of what Giles was telling her registered.

The librarian rose slowly from his seat. He only looked at her once. "Be careful Willow"

That was all he said. Then he walked to the doors, and left.

***************

As he walked through the halls, he could hear again the words in his head. They would not leave him, however much he tried. Only alcohol blurred those awful memories, and he refused to sink that low again.

As he walked through the warm night, he could almost still feel the cold links of the chains that had bound him. He could almost smell the sickly odour of the candles.

The words beat on his mind, along with so many others that dark figure had hurled at him, had taunted him with as the knives and blades had pierced him. But these ones sang louder, however much he tried to forget them. And he never would. That awful voice again seemed to whisper, and he found himself whispering the worlds…

_Passion is the source of our finest moments_

_The Joy of love_

_The clarity of hate_

_and the ecstasy of Grief_

_It hurts sometime more than we could bear_

_If we could live without passion then maybe_

_we could find some kind of peace_

_but we would be Hollow_

_Empty rooms_

_Shuttered and dank_

_Without Passion we would be truly dead_

Giles hand's clenched tightly, the nails digging into his palms, as his emotions ran riot within him. _Damn him. Oh Dear God, please, let Angelus forever burn in hell._

***********************

**The Enclave**

**July 28****th**

The clash of steel on steel radiated through the chamber and the nearby cave as two combatants locked their blades then pushed off. They circled each other for several moments before reengaging; trading attacks, parries, thrusts and counter attacks, faster than the human eye could track. Yet despite this, they never lost control as they centered themselves within the Force; moving in rhythm with one another. They had been practicing Saber techniques for hours with Anakin attacking Xander with his unique form of Djem-so and Xander countering with limited knowledge of Soresu Anakin had trained him in. And much to Anakin's pleasant surprise; Xander was picking it up _much_ faster than he had anticipated. He could clearly see the progress they had made from this one training session alone.

Anakin attacked with a series of powerful downward blows that Xander instinctively directed away with minimal movement. Backpedaling away and circling the mat, Xander gave ground, trading space for defense from the nearly overwhelming flurry of his Master's near constant barrages.

"Remind me never to get on your bad side!" Xander barely gasped as he parried another powerful strike aimed at his head.

Anakin smirked and pressed his attack, hammering through Xander's defenses before disarming him and knocking him to the mat, the tip if his blade at Xander's throat.

"Your skills are progressing much quicker than I expected," Anakin praised, he removed the blade from Xander's throat and helped him to his feet. "Do not let that go to your head; you still have a long way to go my young apprentice.

"Sure thing master, but that style just doesn't really suite me." Xander breathed. They moved to a nearby table and grabbed two bottles of water and downed more than half of the contents in one sitting.

"I mean the problem is that it's a little too defensive for my taste. I'd like to actually be the one on the attack rather than just defending. It's a little…_too_ passive for me," Xander explained. "I mean I _really_ like that style you use, where you're able to counterattack immediately after a strike. What do you call it?"

"It's called Djem-so," Anakin began. "Form V of Lightsaber combat. It was designed by Form III masters who felt much as you do, that it was too passive for their needs. Djem-So places a huge emphasis on using brute strength and raw power; every attack by an enemy was channeled back at him followed by an immediate counter attack, but also pressing the attack to overwhelm him. It's a form of Lightsaber combat that emphasizes complete domination of one's opponent," Anakin explained. "Of course like any Lightsaber form it's not without its weaknesses."

"Like what?" Xander asked after taking another swig from his bottle.

"Mobility is a key factor in any fight, the problem with Djem-so is that it's too straightforward and it lacks mobility. I addressed this weakness and other perceived weaknesses by taking what I considered the best from all seven forms to create my own unique style based off of Djem-So. The end result is what you see now."

Xander nodded in thought, considering his Masters words. There was no doubt in Xander's mind that Anakin was perhaps the greatest swordsman he had ever met in his life. In their countless hours of sparring over the past several weeks; with Anakin teaching him the intricate dance of swordplay, it had practically left Xander in awe of the reservoir of knowledge and experience he could draw upon. And his master seemed more than willing to impart on him everything he could.

"I like it," Xander said upon reflection.

Anakin chuckled. "I thought you might." He remembered with stark clarity the vision with Xander aggressively fighting off a group of vampires. So it was, therefore, unsurprising in the least, when Anakin heard Xanders next question.

"Will you teach it to me?" Xander asked.

Anakin looked to him very seriously. "Are you sure that's what you want?" he asked.

For a moment Xander allowed himself a small fleeting fantasy in where he was utilizing this new form to hack Angelus to bits.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure." Xander smiled.

************************

**Sunnydale Warehouse District**

**August 9****th****. **

"It is dangerous to meet like this, unless we have urgent business with one another," the first figure said in an irritated tone of voice.

"I agree, Marcus," said a second figure stepping out of the shadows, "but I think you will agree with me that it is justified when you hear what I have to say."

"Then be quick about it Merrick," the third and final figure said as he stepped into the light. "The more time we spend together the higher our chances of being discovered by our enemies. We are still vulnerable without the first of the four to protect us."

"Then I shall be quick, Malcion," Merrick said. Stepping fully into the light one a strange could not help but have noticed the striking resemblance the three shared with one another. Blonde hair, cold blue eyes and hard expressions each of them wore were void of humanity, was often mirrored by the other two. The resemblance was so striking that you could only come to the conclusion than they were triplets.

The three met in an undisclosed warehouse in the very heart of the Sunnydale industrial district during the middle of the night. For most people this would be a ticket to an early grave, particularly in this town, but the three were as far above vampires as vampires were above small children. They had _nothing_ to fear from the local vampire and demon community.

"It would seem the summoning worked after all," Merrick continued. "The locator spell places him here in Sunnydale."

"Then why has he not made contact?" Marcus asked. "It should have come to him as naturally as instinct. Yet he is not here. Why?"

"I cannot answer that," Merrick answered with a confused shake of his head. "Perhaps something went wrong with the summoning?"

"No!" Malcion snapped. "We performed the summoning spell to the letter! If any _one_ thing had gone wrong it would not have worked."

"It's been more than three months since the summoning, yet he has not made contact, so obviously _something_ went wrong!" Marcus seethed in anger.

"The time of alignment for the second summoning is almost upon us and as always the dark energy of the Hellmouth provides more than enough power for our needs," Merrick informed. "What are we going to do?"

"I will go over the summoning spell again, to make sure we haven't missed anything. We still have a little time to us before everything is ready," Malcion said.

"And then?" Merrick asked.

"Let us concentrate on one thing at a time. We continue unabated with the second summoning as planned," Marcus said firmly. "Then we bring Lord Darth Vader into the fold as he was meant to be."

"How?" Merrick asked.

"Simple, Merrick," Marcus explained, in his hand he held a glowing crystal orb, an orb easily identified within the magical community as an Orb of Thesula. "We'll draw him out!"

**********************

**The Enclave**

**August 13****th**

"Ready?" 

"Ready." 

"Then begin." 

Xander filled his lungs with air, sucking in the cool fuel of life, then jumped up from the floor in a blur of movement, the electricity of the Force infusing his form. He was in the training room beneath Anakin's house, the confines familiar by now, but today it looked very different. His Master had prepared a challenge, filling the room with dummies that would move on wires and attack him. They would not be lethal in their attacks, but the steel frames they used were solid enough to hurt if they connected. It was incentive not to fail. The first one rushed towards with great speed, trundling on a roof rail with a squeak, its 'L' shaped arm swinging around in a hook. Xander blocked the padded dummy, connecting but not hard, before punching it in its pillow-like head, a crude Vampiric face sketched on its front.

"Move," Anakin ordered. "Your objective is the door. Go." 

Before Xander could even lift a foot two more dummies rushed him; controlled by Anakin, they attacked simultaneously, forcing him to dodge back away from the door. He grunted in mild frustration but held his nerve, avoiding the swift attack and hitting back, landing well-placed punches on his targets. 

"Sloppy posture, don't bend your spine so much," Anakin called out. "And I'm timing you." 

He stepped around the dummies and was faced by a fourth swinging down from the roof. Xander sidestepped and struck it in the back with his fist as it passed, if he had been armed with a stake it would have turned his enemy into clumps of dust. 

"Seven seconds," Anakin announced. "I'd have been out by now." 

Xander didn't let it get to him; he kept his focus, dodging as he was swamped by mechanical dummies, some running on motors, some pushed by the Force. Anakin had shown a remarkable affinity for machines; these robotic training dummies were impressive from Xander's point of view but entirely simplistic to the Jedi.  

"Fifteen seconds. A Mandalorian would be out by now." 

Xander didn't know what a Mandalorian was, but apparently they were better than him at killing dummies. He wanted to make a witty remark, but his mind couldn't break off for long enough to create one. Anakin had been teaching him a new form of Martial Arts, a style composed of two different fighting arts which used the Force to enhance its speed and power, delivering a greater impact to targets. He had felt euphoric when he first tried them, eventually feeling the extra power in his body. That euphoria had decreased rapidly when he had realized that his Master had an entirely different view of how effective he needed to be in this new skill. 

"Twenty seconds Jar Jar Binks would be out by now, that's worse than a first year Padawan." 

"I _am_ a first year Padawan!" Xander shot back. 

"But you're not eight years old. Fight faster."  

Xander gritted his teeth and ploughed forward, punching and kicking his way through the targets, avoiding their attacks in turn. He dodged or blocked, following up with attacks of his own, gradually wading through the dozen combatants Anakin deployed against him. Anakin stood to the side, shaking his head. 

"Slower than a Tusken Raider, slower than a Rebel Soldier, slower than a Gamoran…" 

With a snarl Xander knocked aside the final dummy, grabbing the door handle in triumph. "Made it!" 

"Yes you did," Anakin agreed. "And it took you about the same amount of time as a Jawa with its head on fire." 

Xander frowned. "Are they fast?" 

"Yes, for a few moments in my experience," Anakin answered. "But also badly coordinated with no plan, except to stop the burning." 

"Why would a Jawa have its head on fire?" 

"Some people thought it was hilarious," Anakin answered. "Not me, obviously. Scum and Villainy." 

"What is a Jawa anyway?" Xander asked. 

"Doesn't matter. What does matter is that your time was entirely unacceptable. We're going to try again." 

"Okay." 

"And this time you're going to be blindfolded."  

Xander chuckled. "Funny, I see what you did there, really funny joke." 

"I'm not joking. I want you to put that sack over your head." 

Xander frowned. "Is this so my rugged good looks don't compete with your…" 

"Bag. Head. Now." 

With a sigh of resignation Xander did as asked."Now what?" 

"Now we try and beat your time. Get ready." 

"The only thing that's going to be beaten is my face. In a bag." 

"Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them." 

"Another thing eyes can do is see," Xander countered. "Which I think is one of the best of the Five senses. Sight, helps me when I need to avoid pain." 

"You don't need to rely on your eyes to see anymore my Apprentice." 

"I don't?" 

"No. Now you can see with the Force." 

"That's just crazy talk, like when the hermit who lives under the park bench told me I was a space fairy." 

"Maybe he's right." 

Xander grunted. "How do I get myself into these situations?" 

"Stop talking and focus. Open your mind, you know the Force, now you have to learn what it can give you."  

Xander exhaled and closed his eyes, waiting. In recent weeks he had grown to know what the Force felt like, under Anakin's stern guidance he had come to at least recognize it, find the difference between intuition, instinct and actual insight from the Force. He was gradually blending them together, integrating his Force Sensitivity into his every action no different from sight, touch or any other method of viewing the world around him. It had supported his other senses, but as he put the bag over his head the reverse was now true. The Force would lead him. 

"Center yourself Padawan," Anakin instructed. "See not with your eyes, but with your soul." 

"I'll try." 

"What did I tell you? Do it, or don't do it. There is no try." 

"Okay, no try." He exhaled. "Ready." 

"If you say so." 

Xander tensed raising his arms to guard himself, reaching out to find a target. To his surprise one of the robotic dummies hit him from behind. 

"Hey! What?" 

"Relax," Anakin repeated. "Let the Force flow, don't try and command it, just go with it." Xander grunted, resuming his guard. He was struck again, then when he turned to face his attacker he was struck again and again, always where he was vulnerable. The hits weren't dangerous, but they sure hurt. 

"Ow! Tony Starks metal balls!" 

"What?" 

"This is stupid!" 

"Control your temper." 

"I can't do this!" 

"You haven't even tried," Anakin replied curtly. "Open your mind. Do it." 

"This isn't going to work!" 

"Just do it, and have faith," the Jedi stated. "Believe in it, Xander." 

Grudgingly Xander did as he was told, surrendering his hesitation. He felt dumb, like he was leaving himself open for something stupid. He had a sense something was coming in from the left, a sense he was too busy analyzing to act on it, resulting in another bruise. 

"Don't hesitate, believe in the Force."  

Finally something inside his mind clicked, linking his thoughts to his motions. The next warning he felt told him to dodge right which he did, a small breeze telling him a padded metal arm had just swung past. He noted two more targets, side-stepping between them, avoiding their coordinated assault. 

"Good, good!" Anakin beamed. "Stay focused; see their locations, their weak spots. Fight back!" 

Xander did as instructed, letting the dummies attack before hitting back. His punches landed jarringly, shivering his arms with the shock of the connection. 

"Focus your attacks in the Force; let it give you speed and power," Anakin said. "Draw the energy inside you; don't rely on just muscle and bone!" 

Xander pressed on, his attacks becoming faster, easier. The dummies became nothing to him, he barely noticed he was touching them, pushing them aside at first, then knocking them aside, then flinging them like rags.

The Force had sounded like a mountain stream, clear and cool in his mind, but as he fought it grew in power, from a stream to a river, to a torrent of roaring water, all the while changing from the familiar clear pale blue to a murky crimson hue. He was the river bed, the banks and shores; he was the channel through which the river ran, the focus for this immense power. 

"_What good are you?"_ A voice laughed in his head. 

He punched harder. 

"_What good are you?"_ 

He swiped four dummies in one powerful kick. 

"_You sit here dreaming, hiding in your own dumb ass world, you're your mommas boy already."_

He grabbed a dummy and dragged it close. 

"_Here's a reality check,"_ the voice said. _"You ain't special, you ain't nothing."_ 

He punched the dummy in the head with his full strength. 

"_So you keep dreaming boy, because that's all it'll ever be. You were born a failure, you'll die a failure."_ 

He felt strong hands pulling him back. 

"_Welcome to life as a Harris, Son."_  

Anakin yanked the bag off his head, bringing Xander back to reality. He was wet with sweat, his dark hair plastered to his scalp. 

"Wow, pretty intense." 

"Yes, very intense," Anakin said flatly. "You do have a strong connection with the Force. Observe."

He gestured to the room, letting Xander look around. It was a wreck; the several dummies had been torn to pieces, ripped apart and thrown with enough force to smash the shelves of the room. One was even imbedded in a brick wall. Xander was still holding one in his hand, the steel bar that formed its backbone bent almost double. 

"I did that?" he rasped in disbelief. 

"You did." 

Xander tugged on the steel bar in the dummy."In one punch?"

"You see now the power you have inside you?" Anakin offered. "And you see why you must learn control?" 

"I was in control." 

"No, you weren't. You had focus, but not control. If this had been in a street filled with innocent people how many would be dead? Killed as you channeled the Force without understanding it? The Force has no limit to its power, a Jedi does."  

Xander was still breathing heavily. "I'm still a screw up, I've got this gift and I can't even get it right!" 

"There is an obstacle, something still holding you back," Anakin noted. "I believe you do want this, and I believe inside you have the strength to be a Jedi. But _you_ don't believe it, and before we go any further we must overcome that flaw." 

"You can't overcome it, I'm a Harris, it's genetic." 

"Then you must choose whether you want to be a Harris as you were born, or whether you want to be a Jedi as you were meant to be." 

"Of course I do, but I can't do it. Everything I try just goes wrong, even this." 

"That isn't true, and I am sure your friends agree. Again it is only in your eyes that this is the case. Why Xander? Why do you not see yourself as others see you?" 

"I…don't know." 

Anakin nodded. "Then it's about time you found out. Follow me, into the circle."   

Xander joined Anakin in the cave, the wellspring of light side energy. He was at once bathed in pure warm energy, like walking out of a basement and into a full summer's day. He could feel his senses sharpening in the presence of such power, the energy drawing him in and giving him a boost, reminding him exactly how wondrous this new world was that he now existed in. 

"Come, sit opposite me," Anakin spoke, the two men crossing their legs with the wellspring between them. 

"Okay, now what?" 

"We're going to try something called a Dreamwalk," Anakin said. "It's like a regression. Through the Force you will see things in the past, events in your life, moments that shaped you. These moments have made you what you are, and one of them is holding you back from being what you can be. Together we will find it." 

"You're going to direct me?" 

"No, this is not something for me to do," Anakin answered. "I'll observe, but this is between you and the Force." 

"But you'll be able to see my thoughts?" Xander asked. "Even the embarrassing ones?" 

The Jedi grinned. "There's nothing you need to hide from me. What you did in the past is your history, I know you for what you are, my Apprentice. Now, dwell in the Force." 

"Alright, here we go, mindfrak leaving platform three…" Xander closed his eyes. "My mind to your mind, Captain Kirk." 

"Still lost on me," Anakin stated. 

"You need a TV, stat."  

The transition was jarring, not as gentle as he expected. One instance he closed his eyes, the next second he was standing in the Bronze, people cowering around him. 

"Whoa, bit of headrush there." 

"These are your memories." Anakin appeared beside him. "Do you remember this?" 

"Yeah, I remember it."

Anakin followed Xander's gaze, seeing a younger version of the man pushed back against a support pillar, a Vampire blocking him in. 

"That's Jesse," he spoke. "My best friend." 

"He was turned." Anakin saw. 

"Turned into a vamp by the Master, and turned into dust by…well…"

A girl ran past, knocking the Vampire into a stake Xander was holding, instantly turning him into an ash cloud that formlessly fell to the ground. 

"You didn't kill him." 

"No, but I should have done it. I hesitated," Xander said. "I thought I could save him, I thought I could help, but I also knew what I had to do. I knew I had to kill him, but I couldn't. I failed; I failed to save my best friend from becoming a Vampire, and failed to release him afterwards."  

"And it was this that changed your life, set you on your current path," Anakin reasoned. "But this isn't it." 

"Isn't what?" 

"This isn't holding you back. It is a symptom of the same problem, but it is not the problem itself. An effect, not the cause." 

"I froze." Xander shook his head. "That's why I'm not the hero Buffy is." 

"There's another reason, a true reason. Keep going." 

"Go? Go where? I don't know what I'm looking for?" 

"Let the Force be your guide." 

Xander rolled his eyes. "Some guide. On your left we can see my dead friends, to the right, social inadequacies, and up ahead my complete inability to score with girls." 

"Because you won't take advantage of them," Anakin smiled. "Valentine's day, love spell?" 

"I thought you weren't going to look at those things while you were in my head! You're a guest in my brain!" 

"You did the right thing, showed moral fortitude." 

"Maybe, but by the end of the day you have no idea how swollen my…" 

"Moving on." Anakin suggested quickly. 

"Moving on, right."  

The world around them was shifting, the memories and images sifting and merging. Anakin tried to take in some of the more recent scenes, seeking answers but also learning of events he had missed. As these times had shaped Xander, they had shaped others too. Angelus, Jenny Calendar, the Master, Miss French, Sid, the order of Taraka, Spike and Drusilla. He felt Xander's emotions in those times, the loss, hurt and betrayal.

He knew how Xander had given in to his primal side under the power of the Hyena spirit, and his cold and hard professionalism on Halloween night as a soldier. He knew the shame Xander had felt, and the humiliation day after day. The grinding scorn of his peers and the incessant attacks had kept him down, but had never quite gone so far as to break him.

All of these things were part of Xander Harris, they all contributed to his character, but they weren't holding him back. He had embraced or overcome every single disaster, failure or dismissal in his life. But there was something he hadn't beaten, something that had instead beaten him. He stepped into Xander's childhood, the long afternoons spent with Willow and Jesse, the innocence of youth and even there he could feel it, the hesitation, the cloud over this life. It was something ingrained as a child, a lesson learned early. Finally it was beginning to make sense. The swirl of memories stopped, and both Anakin and Xander looked upon a young boy no more than six sitting in his front room staring at a wall.  

Xander was very quiet. "I'd forgotten this," he said weakly. "I'd tried to forget it." 

Anakin smiled a little. "I know what you see." 

To the human eye it was nothing, a blank yellow painted wall, but to see beyond it, to look with the Force, that blank space was _alive_. It stood there as an infusion of color, the wisps and glimmers of all life, streams and currents in the Force. It was destinies interweaving, love and hate, the interconnection of everything. It was a vision of the threads that bind together the universe, the beating heart of the living Force. 

"I didn't know what it was," Xander spoke quietly. "I knew it was something different, but no one had told me or explained it." 

"There are no Jedi on your world. No one could have tested you, giving you the instruction you needed as a child," Anakin sympathized. "Even then you had this gift, but had no idea what it was."  

"Hey, boy!" A bark of a call shouted in the room. "What the hell you doing?" 

"Watching the lights, dad." 

"Watching the… what the hell you talking about Alexander? Did you go into my fridge? You been drinking my stuff?" 

"No, no way dad!" 

"Good, cause you know what happens when you touch my stuff. I'll take my belt to ya. Whack!" 

The older Xander kept a hard face. "He's drunk. He's _always_ drunk." 

"Watch the TV," his father growled. "What I pay for." 

"But the lights!" 

"What lights?" 

"Don't you see the lights?" 

"There are no lights! Stupid ass kid, why the hell did we end up with such a dumb moron brat?" 

"But I see them!" 

"There ain't nothing there! Now stop being an idiot!" 

"They are there! They are!" 

"You calling me a liar? My own brat calling me a liar? Hot damn if I ain't being lectured by a four year old!" 

"Six year old!" 

"Don't answer back you little crap monkey!" He tugged the belt from round his waist. "Get over here!" 

"No!" 

"If I have to come over there so help me you'll be looking for teeth!"

The child did as told, head held low as his father doubled over the leather belt. 

"There ain't no lights," he stated flatly. "You sit here dreaming, hiding in your own dumb ass world, you're your momma's boy already." He hauled back the belt. 

"Here's a reality check," the voice of his father said. "You ain't special, you ain't nothing."

He whipped the belt down, striking the child across the back. 

"So you keep dreaming boy, because that's all it'll ever be. You were born a failure, you'll die a failure." 

Anakin watched in disgust. Xander didn't watch at all. 

"Welcome to life as a Harris, Son."  

"Now I see."Anakin waited as the world changed, turning into a cemetery at night. "You had the Force, you knew it existed. Undefined, yes, but you could have utilized it. Someone would have found you, a wizard or Watcher, and brought out your full potential." 

"I still saw the lights for a while after," Xander said. "But I made them go away, I ignored them until they faded, vanished." 

"You cut yourself off from the Force." 

"I guess so. Saved the beatings." 

"And now when you try to reach out in the Force this memory is always there. The pain and humiliation, the destruction of your childhood purity, the death of your wonder at the hands of your own father." Anakin exhaled. "I understand Xander. This is where your fear comes from, the fear that has held you back all your life." 

"He was my father, he still is. Why did he do it?" 

"I can't answer that," Anakin replied. "I never had a father, and my mother died long ago." 

"Like the song," Xander huffed. "You always hurt the one you love." 

What happened next took Anakin by surprise. The world turned red and yellow, the cool cemetery replaced by intense heat, burning dry air and choking smoke. This was not a place from Xander's memory. 

"You were my Brother-!" Obi Wan half screamed, half cried.

Anakin forced the scene away, but couldn't take them back. He was not in control of this, Xander was acting, uncoordinated but with definite power. He was now in Anakin's mind, not in his own anymore. 

"-You're breaking my Heart!" 

"Padme!"Anakin pulled back, a final black figure standing in his mind, a brief moment of the past standing amid the bodies of a score of Jedi. It stood robed in black, face an obsidian skull of hatred under body armor, red saber burning in its hand, breath rasping harshly and mechanically through its burned lungs. 

"Arise, Lord Vader!"  

"NOOOOOOOO!!!"Anakin broke away, overpowering the grip on his mind and scrambling up, standing in the cave once more. Xander also fell backwards, steadying himself as he caught his breath. 

"Holy flying crap balls! What the hell was that?" 

"How did you do that?" Anakin asked. "How did you look into my thoughts?" 

"I don't know, I just… I don't know." 

Anakin took a few steadying breaths. "Well, if nothing else it shows your control of the Force is still growing." 

"Those images," Xander asked. "They were in your past weren't they?" 

"Now is not the time to talk about it." Anakin said quietly. "Focus on your own discovery Padawan. You know now the source of your weakness; you must come to terms with it and overcome it. You must step out of your father's shadow and be who you are meant to be, not who you are told to be. Make your own choices Xander Harris, as I wish I had done when I was your age." 

"Yes Master." Xander rose, pausing. He hesitated, not sure it was any of his business, then spoke. "That man, the one I saw, in black." 

"Not yet Padawan." His master's tone was firm, but some small check in it made Xander continue.

"He took everything from you, didn't he?" Xander persisted gently. "This Lord Vader. He killed you?" 

"Some things can only be lost if you refuse to let them go," Anakin said softly. "This is for another time. You have done well today, go home, rest, tomorrow we start again." 

"Yes, my Master." Xander nodded obediently, still puzzling over everything he had seen and learnt.

"Everyone deserves a chance to start again." Anakin murmured quietly.  


	8. Chapter 7 One Step Towards Normal

**Chapter 7 One step towards normal**

************

The night was dark, with a waning moon which nonetheless cast just enough light to see by. This far from the gates there was no artificial light to dispel the darkness, but to the onlookers eyes had adjusted enough in the gloom and the moon cast just enough light to make visibility no serious problem.

In this isolated corner of the cemetery two sets of eyes kept a silent vigil over a grave. A little way behind them a third figure watched _their_ backs, his hazel eyes alert as he kept watch. His slightly nervous gaze swept continuously over the graves and mausoleums which littered the grassy surroundings, while (unknown to his companions) less tangible senses surveyed the surrounding area, tentatively probing into more pronounced patches of darkness and shadow.

The focus of their attention was a newly filled grave. It had been filled just that afternoon, its sorry occupant a victim of Sunnydale's deadly nightlife, just one more poor soul who had come to grief at the hands of a demon in a human shell. There was no headstone as yet, but photos and bouquets of flowers rested upon the grave, the last offering of tearful friends and family. An arrangement of irises rested atop to head of the grave, their beauty and soft scent strangely comforting to the mourners which had laid them. To the observers however, the soothing scent of the irises, which lingered in their noses in the still evening, seemed a mocking note to those aware of the true horror of the situation. For the moment the vista was peaceful, the freshly turned earth of the grave smooth and compacted, the tributes sad and filled with photos celebrating a life cut so tragically short.

The observers knew only too well however, that it was all an illusion. There was still life of a sort in that fresh grave, a twisted version of the soul which had already left this world. And so they watched, and waited.

Suddenly without any warning the ground at the head of the grave began to shift. Subtly at first, but soon the slight mound of compacted earth started to shudder, tributes toppling sideways as it caved in. Before long a hand breached the freshly filled grave, earth stained and torn nails clawing at the air. Earth flew from the grave as its no longer peaceful occupant clawed his way upwards, struggling upwards through the still loose earth of the grave in a grim mockery of birth, a figure slowly emerging clad in the ruins of what had been intended to be his last earthly clothes. Clawing wildly at the softloam, his hands scrabbled for purchase on the grass, scattering tributes and clods of earth wildlyas if casting aside the memory of what he had once been, growling all the while as its fingers finally found purchase. With an inhuman strength, it pulled himself upwards out of the grasp of the dry earth from whence its body had been committed crushing the sad wreath of irises beneath his weight as he struggled to pull his legs free.

Finally succeeding, he paused momentarily, sniffing the air and inspecting its hands as if seeing them for the first time. Then with a snarl his head snapped up, as his inhuman senses caught a whiff of perfume. A low growl of hunger rumbled from its throat as its gaze fell upon a pair of widely spread legs a few feet away. He raised his head higher, surveying the girl before him, his earth stained features tightening into a predatory expression.

"That's right big boy" Willow smiled mischievously, "Come and get it!"

The new vampire, a former acquaintance of the scoobies from Sunnydale High School, rose malevolently to his feet, growlingat Willow menacingly as he did so. The demon inside the cold body of Andrew Hoelich advanced upon her, his vampiric face distorting once friendly and slightly chubby features. Willow, with a confident smile on her face, didn't even back away a step, although she did flinch slightly. The move brought the vampire up short, despite his raging thirst, for he had expected and eagerly anticipated her fearful response.

Willow quietly murmured something to herself and suddenly the air around Andrew began to distort and solidify like water. Reacting with almost impossible speed to the bizarre sight in the only way it could, the Vampire exploded towards Willow with a speed that should have terrified her, but instead it found itself tossed away with the force of a wrecking ball as a wave of energy slammed into the vampire. The full force of Willow's magical assault hit 'Andrew' square in the chest and sent him (along with assorted clods of earth and floral wreaths) hurtling backwards through the air, to slam painfully against a solid tree trunk with a loud _crack _that could be heard clear across the cemetery. And as the vampire slumped to the ground, momentarily stunned, Willow tugged her walky-talky from her pocket.

"Oz, Xander, _now!_" Willow spoke into the radio quickly, hoping they could get to the vamp and stake it before it could recover. At her call, both young men burst out of hiding, Oz emerging from a bush close nearby, Xander from the cover of a mausoleum maybe twenty feet away. The latter had been watching their rear, and had substantially more distance to cover. Oz, unwilling to leave his girlfriend exposed had concealed himself nearby in a shrub after Xander volunteered to watch their backs. Unfortunately, the werewolf's choice of cover proved misguided, the thick stems of the plant causing him to stumble as he went into action, the stake flying from his hand and vanishing into the darkness. Hesitating only momentarily, the disarmed Oz bravely charged the dazed Vamp, vaguely hoping he could further delay it until Xander or Willow arrived.

The vampire, recovering swiftly and realizing that the first snack of his unlife wasn't going _quite_ as planned, groggily rose to his feet, frantically trying to recover his fuddled wits. Before he could do so he was pounced on by one of the two young men who were charging towards him. Oz knocking aside the vampire's arm laid a surprisingly powerful left hook into the vamps solar plexus that made him stagger back, but since he no longer needed to breath 'Andrew' was only bruised, despite the reflexive expelling of breath. Oz followed up that blow with a more useful and vicious uppercut that half-stunned the vamp but didn't quite knock him off his feet. Sensing its impending doom the demon blindly struck out with a wild haymaker that Oz barely managed to block.

It might have been clumsy, but the sheer force of the inhuman blow still knocked the young werewolf sideways to the ground. Turning to growl menacingly at the fallen Scoobie, 'Andrew' swiftly forgot about Xander, who's running footfalls were muffled by the thick grass. The vampire only became _painfully_ aware of his presence when Xander, launching himself into the fight, stomped on his right knee cap, snapping it at the joint and bringing the vampire to his knees. The fledgling roared in agony, only to fall silent suddenly as he felt a stake pierce his heart. Looking down in disbelief at the stake buried in his chest, the demon just had time to blink in surprise, before exploding into dust.

Oz slowly rose to his feet, messaging his numb forearm as Xander and Willow made their way to him.

"Now _that_ is what I call teamwork." Xander grinned, as he exchanged high fives with Willow and more carefully with Oz, who was still cradling his left forearm.

"Oz, are you alright?" Willow asked in slight concern.

"I'm fine babe." Oz assured her as the feeling of numbness slowly gave way to a dull burning ache. He ignored it and snuck a quick kiss.

"Wow, we got him!" Willow smiled "that's fifteen for fifteen this week alone, and no Jedi in any of those kills, just pure Scoobie work."

Willows exuberance was so contagious Xander would never have had the heart to tell her otherwise, even if he could. Anakin's influence resided within him now; during these past three months Anakin had been a demanding teacher, constantly pushing him further, farther and harderthan he ever thought possible. His fighting skills and knowledge of the Force had grown to such a degree in that short time that Anakin felt comfortable allowing Xander and the scoobies to patrol on their own while he hunted for far bigger targets then meeting at a pre-disclosed rally point. Xander appreciated the subtle gesture of confidence and trust in his skills that implied.

Stretching out in the Force Xander could feel his master along with Giles a few miles away, clearing out yet another vampire nest that had set up shop over on Pikeman Street. It made Xander almost want to laugh in derision every time he thought about the stupidity of vampires, because no matter how many times Buffy, or more recently Anakin, cleared out a nest, within a week a new group would set up shop in the _exact_ same spot. Amateurs.

_Don't get too cocky my young Padawan. You are far from an expert yourself._ Anakin sent through the growing link that Master and Apprentice shared.

_Yes Master,_ Xander sent back.

As much as he wanted to enjoy this moment of triumph he knew that Anakin was right. A few critiques on their performance were called for.

Xander smiled and rubbed his hands together. "Ok, in the spirit of our new professionalism it's time for the after action review, how did we do? And how could we have done better?"

"I dropped my stake when I came out of hiding." Oz said in a slightly embarrassed tone. "So better accountability of weapons."

"And I probably should have been a bit closer than twenty feet away to support you better." Xander admitted.

Willow frowned at that, remembering the first night they had met Anakin, when the scoobies had been expecting only to ambush a new fledgling but in turn had themselves been ambushed by several other vampires. After that night, Xander, drawing from Soldier guy's memories, had harped almost fanatically about the concept of rear security, which was what he had been pulling tonight to ensure they didn't get ambushed again. Unfortunately, with only three people in this ambush it had left him slightly out of place to help cover his friends when they sprung their trap.

"You're being too hard on yourself, you did really good, Xander," Willow smiled warmly. "And besides, Oz is fine and we dusted the vamp, so I say we did pretty well."

"Still a little rough around the edges, but we're getting better. Like Electric Ninjas." Oz noting his friend's confused expressions, added as an afterthought. "It's a band."

"I was actually expecting this guy to be a bit more of a challenge then he was." Willow said. She sounded, amazingly to Xander, slightly disappointed.

Oz frowned as he recalled something. "Wasn't Andy Hoelich on the gymnastics team?"

That's right he was!" Xander remembered, and then he snickered. "Didn't do him much good though, did it?"

Willow and Oz just shook their heads in agreement.

"Ok, and the second problem I'm having… come and get it big boy?" Xander directed an amused look at Willow.

Willow blushed slightly. "Well…w-well, the Slayer always says a pun or a witty play on words and I think it throws the vampires off, and, and it makes them _frightened_ because I'm wisecracking. Okay, I didn't really have a chance to work on that one, but _you_ try it every time." Willow stammered "Besides, did you see the way he just hesitated? I think it kinda worked, too."

"Uh if I may suggest: 'this time it's personal' I mean, there's a reason why it's a classic." Oz offered.

Xander took a step back "I've always been amazed at how Buffy fought but I always felt we took her punning for granted."

Willow directed a scolding look at Xander that could have withered a tree with its intensity "Xander, past tense rule!"

Xander grimaced slightly "Oh, sorry. I just meant that we in the past took it for granted and, uh…we won't when she gets back."

"Do you think Buffy knows school's starting tomorrow?" Willow asked.

Oz blinked as he suddenly realized something "Tomorrow. Right. _Big_ day."

Willow went to Oz and he wrapped his arms around her middle. "Oh, I'm going to be busy a lot. But, only till three and that's when you usually get up, when we're not training."

"I can't wait to see Cordelia. I haven't seen her in over a week." Xander paused for a beat. "I can't believe I can't wait to see Cordelia."

Willow smiled "I wonder what our first homework assignments are going to be?"

Xander put his hands on his hips and gave her an odd look.

_Only Willow….only Willow_.

"Hey you're excited over Cordelia, Okay? You two haven't even been apart that long and you're acting like it's been forever since you've seen each other."

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." Xander quipped, but with a hint of longing in his voice he reserved for Cordelia...and maybe Buffy too.

"Yeah, well, we've all got issues." Willow replied.

"I guess we should pack it in, you know, on account of a big day tomorrow." Oz offered.

The group started to walk away from Andrew's destroyed grave and out towards the entrance to the cemetery.

"Wouldn't it be great if Buffy just showed up tomorrow? Like nothing ever happened?" Willow spoke up. It made her sick to her stomach to think of going a day in school without her best friend with her.

"She can't show up, she got kicked out." Xander said sharing a significant look with Oz as he dashed some of Willow's hope.

"Well, yeah, I-I know. I just wish…I wish we knew where she was." Willow replied sullenly as the trio of Scoobies walked quietly out of the cemetery keenly aware that tomorrow would be another day…without Buffy.

**************

_There is no emotion, there is peace_

_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge_

_There is no passion, there is serenity_

_There is no chaos, there is harmony_

_There is no death, there is the Force_

The comforting words of the Jedi code echoed in his mind and fed his soul as he murmured them quietly to himself before opening his eyes. It had been a common practice he had fallen into at the conclusion of each session of meditation to give him focus and direction, something which his Master highly approved of. With his mind rested and his body energized at the conclusion of his session of Force Healing, Xander straightened up from his meditation position and gazed at his alarm clock, the only source of visible light in his room.

Two minutes until six a.m. Feeling his body rejuvenated Xander stood and looked through his bedroom window to see the first hints of oncoming dawn that heralded the arrival of a new day. He hadn't slept the previous night as had originally planned. The nervousness he had felt at the thought of facing a day of Hellmouth high without Buffy had left him unable to sleep. So after spending an hour of tossing and turning in bed he had decided to reach out to the Force to heal his fatigued body and calm his mind.

It never failed to work.

The light side of the Force offered him warmth and comfort to ease his nerves, to drive away his fears and infuse him with a sense of confidence only one with the Force could truly feel. But the Force also gave his life direction, purpose, clarity and peace. Things he had hungered for all his life which now had been offered to him by its gifts and wonders.

Much calmer now then had been hours before Xander quietly slipped into his workout shorts and froze when he caught his reflection in the full length mirror next to his door and blinked at what he saw.

These past few months of rigorous training had done wonders for his body but he had been so focused on his training and his skills he hadn't noticed the changes until now. He had packed on a little weight…about fifteen pounds of solid muscle to be precise. His chest had grown broader with nicely defined and sculpted Pecs and shoulders. Flexing his arms, Xander took a moment to study his nicely defined biceps and triceps to his thick forearms. They spoke of developed strength, power and flexibility, like taunt steel cables rippling under his skin.

Looking down Xander couldn't stop the wide smile that broke out on his face. His abs which had always been above average, thanks to long nights of slaying, now was the definition of a beautiful washboard six pack! The numerous cardio and muscular strength exercises, along with his new healthy diet and nightly slaying, had rapidly melted away what little fat had remained on his body leaving behind a sculpted, chiseled, beautiful vision of the male form. His legs were muscular and taunt giving him a power, agility and grace in his movements seasoned athletes would envy.

Xander also couldn't help but notice how his skin had a healthy, vibrant glow to it that could only be caused by the currents of Force energy, channeled and focused in his body.

"Holy crap, I've turned into a sexy beast!" Xander smiled to himself, no wonder Cordy hadn't been able to keep her hands off him these past few weeks. Now he understood why she always seemed to giggle like a catholic school girl doing something naughty when she ran her hands under his shirt.

Weird how he hadn't noticed until now.

Shrugging, Xander slapped on his black tank top and quietly moved through the house, not making a sound, nor stumbling over any furniture, thanks to his awareness with the Force. He moved to the basement he had recently setup to act as his personal training and meditation chamber. It wasn't exactly the same standards of the training chamber at the enclave but it would do for light morning workouts and sessions of meditation.

As he began his warm-up stretching and calisthenics, Xanders mind drifted back to how this last year of school was getting in the way of what he was beginning to consider his true calling in life. Once upon a time he would have been apprehensive about life after graduation…if he had graduated, but no longer. Now he looked forward to it, as if graduation was already a foregone conclusion. His calling in life was to become a Jedi Knight, high school was nothing compared to what he would have to face to get there and the amazing thing was he looked forward to it. Smiling to himself Xander centered himself in the Force to truly begin his workout.

No more worries, Xander thought to himself. He focused his mind and concentrated on his morning workout. Today was a new day.

**********

Sunnydale High school.

There wasn't a day that went by these past few years that Xander hadn't seen the place. But today, unusually, the school seemed to glow in the morning sunshine with the promise of a new beginning, and was looking far less sinister then he could ever remember. It was all a lie, he knew. Perhaps it was his connection to the Force that emboldened him or perhaps he had become hardened to the many horrors he had faced on a daily and nightly basis for these last few years. He didn't know, perhaps both were true. But for the first time in his life Xander moved passed its open front lawn and through the arch way into the school completely unafraid, at peace with himself, and completely aware of his environment.

Dressed in cloths handpicked by his fashionably conscious girlfriend Xander chose an outfit that he knew would display his new physique and grab her attention. He couldn't wait to see her but as he casually scanned the crowds for her he began to notice slightly odd reactions from people who glanced his way.

At first he ignored them and continued on with his own business. It wasn't as if he hadn't been the recipient of odd looks in the past. But as he continued on and the reactions became more pronounced he began to wonder why they were reacting this way. Surely it couldn't be _him_ they were looking at like that, could it? There was only one way to find out. Stretching out with the Force Xander began to attune himself with the atmosphere of the school to gauge the emotional state of the people around him.

Maintaining his focus while opening his awareness, Xander moved through the hallways like a guided missile set on its target; his shoulders reared back, his chest out and head held high, he walked with a casual ease that had people, who were familiar with him, stopping in their tracks or doing double takes as he strode by. And in one or two occasions he caught someone staring slack jawed right at him.

Their thoughts and feelings were clear to him now. The first thing to hit him was the sense of sheer disbelief as he walked by. Much like a crowd of onlookers would look upon something that didn't quite understand and wonder what the hell was going on! But from there, depending on the character of the person in question, that one single defining emotion was followed by a wide and curious mix of different ones.

He could sense strong feelings of amazement, envy and even lust focusing around him. Which was probably typical in any high school where teenagers tended to let their hormones run rampant, Xander considered. But as he narrowed on the source of their emotions he was shocked and amazed to find that they weren't just centered _around_ him, they were directed _at_ him!

_Great stones of Zeus!_

He knew the differences from who he had been and who he was now were significant, but they couldn't be _that_ extreme, could they? He couldn't help but grin to himselfat their reactions to him. His friends had grown accustomed to the changes in him; as he slowly transformed from the anxious, witty fool, to a confident young man. But while his friends had adapted to the new and improved Xander**,** the vast majority of the people at Sunnydale high were only just now seeing the 'after' shot and comparing it to the 'before' they remembered from last year. Already he could see people looking at him and speaking in hushed whispers then suddenly going silent as he walked by. It seemed people were already talking about him and he hadn't even made it to his first class yet.

_Weird_.

Moving through the hallways he didn't bother to crack witty jokes or engage familiar faces he passed beyond a casual hello. Nor did he feel the need to embarrass himself to elicit a laugh, usually at his own expense, from someone who probably had no respect for him anyway, simply to be acknowledged. He kept his face calm and impassive and his focus firmly set, as he made his way to his locker. His stride was confident and relaxed; a far cry from the near frantic and nervous energy that had been the defining hallmark of his character, which always threatened to spill over at a moment's notice. Much to most people's annoyance.

But now, no longer, and already the usually unaware crowd of Sunnydale high schoolers seemed to be picking up on this, or that at least picking up that _something_ was different about him.

Again, he couldn't help but notice the odd or confused looks from the people who knew him, but rather then comment or inquire on it; he simply ignored it and continued on un-phased. Reaching his locker he spotted Willow just as she was closing up her own.

"Hey bestest bud, what's up?"

"Still a little tired from last night but I'm ok, you get a good nights rest Xander?" Willow asked.

"More or less." Xander shrugged as he placed his book bag in his wall locker. "Slipping past the plastered duo, as usual, went off without a hitch. You know we're not going to be able to stay out as late any more now that schools back on again, you know?"

"Yeah I know. Someone's going to have to let Mr. Tall; blond and moody know this so he doesn't work us to the wee hours in the morning."

"Tall, blonde and moody? Where did you come up with that one?" Xander asked with raised eyebrows and an amused smirk. Yes, that did fit his Master to a tee…

"Cordelia."

"Ah, Cordelia, how doth my heart sing for thee."

"Sure thing Romeo" Willow scoffed with a mirthful roll of her eyes as she started to turn away. "It's only been a week, Xander."

"I know. Have you seen her yet?" Xander asked.

"Not yet." Willow answered with a shake of her head.

"Where are you heading off too?" Xander asked.

"Endure the welcome back lectures with each of my new teachers then I was going to hit the library before lunch during my free period and check in with Giles. You?"

"Yeah, same here, I've still got to go see Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Cooper about getting into their classes. Both of them know me so I'm anticipating much lecturing about the finer points of _not_ being the class clown during their classes."

Willow smiled warmly. "You'll be fine, Xander."

"Oh I know it Wills, I know it. But that just means I'm going to be busy for most of the morning." Xander sighed melodramatically as he closed his wall locker. "Don't people believe in the concept that you should get a clean slate with the start of a new school year?"

Willow smiled sympathetically "Not anymore, Xander. You know, like when clean slates went the way of the dinosaurs along with blackboards. Your very blemished record will sadly still be there since computer files are eternal!"

"Bah! You're no help!" Xander snickered good naturedly.

"Well, I gotta go Xander, I'll see you around." Willow waved as she started to move off down the hall.

"I'll catch you later, Willow." Xander waved after her and started off down the other direction. He only made it about ten feet before he managed to catch a girl from running into him who seemed to be in a hurry and hadn't been paying attention to where she was going.

"Hey easy there, where's the fire?" Xander smiled.

The girl looked up to meet his eyes and Xander felt his heart catch in his throat. It was _her!_ The girl he had helped at the Bronze the first night he learned to feel the Force. She was strikingly beautiful, now that he got a good look at her; putting most of the girls here at Sunnydale to shame. She had a models face with a thin curvy body, shoulder length brown hair with dark brown eyes a guy could get lost in. She wore a modest red dress with spaghetti straps over her shoulders that showed just enough skin of her shoulders and hint of her ample cleavage to grab a guy's attention and hold it. Her skirt was high enough to still be considered tasteful yet showed a vision of her beautifully tanned and perfect legs that seemed to run on forever. In short, this girl was a pure babe in every sense of the word that no warm-blooded (or even coldblooded) male, who appreciated the female form, wouldn't want to get with.

Yet despite everything that should have been kicking his hormones into overdrive, Xander gulped and prayed she wouldn't recognize him. If she did that might lead to some awkward questions he _really_ didn't want to deal with right now.

"Uh...yeah, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to…run you over like that." The girl smiled shyly as she looked at him then she frowned slightly "Don't I know you?"

"Uh, no, not really," Xander smiled politely. But he suddenly had the burning desire to be anywhere else but there. It's not that he didn't want to talk to her; it's just that seeing her brought back the memory of sudden rage that nearly overwhelmed him that night he fended off her attacker. He had done his best not to think about his moment of pure insanity and distance himself from the memory. But seeing this girl brought it all back in startling clarity as if it were yesterday. It shook him up more then would have liked.

"I'm Sandy." She said, snapping him back to reality as she held out her hand.

Xander took her hand and shook it briefly. "Xander."

"Are you alright? You seem a little…spooked?" Sandy asked, her female intuition accurately sensing Xanders discomfort.

Xander smiled thinly "No, no I'm…fine. Really."

"Ooookaaaayyyy." Sandy drawled with a stunning smile that amazingly put him at ease. "And here I was thinking that little ole me scared you half to death."

Xander couldn't help but laugh; she was beautiful and she had a sense of humor.

Sandy frowned again as she studied Xanders face more intently. "Are you sure we haven't met before?" She asked again, it was almost like there was something about him that she was supposed to remember.

"You've probably seen me around is all; that's probably what it is. I'm a friendly face everyone knows, not like a creepy stalker or something." Xander internally cringed when that slipped out. He was doing his best to try and direct her mind, and his, _away_ from the events of that night so she wouldn't piece it together.

_Way to go genius_.

Sandy openly gave him an appreciative once over, carefully taking _all_ of him in. "I _bet_." She smiled coyly. Apparently having missed Xander's little slipup.

Xander kicked himself behind his amiable smile. _Danger Will Robinson, danger!_

"Uh, listen Xander; I don't suppose you know where Mr. Kirkwood's class is, would you?"

Xander raised his eyebrows "Mr. Kirkwood, as in Mr. Kirkwood who teaches _advanced Calculus_, Mr. Kirkwood?"

Sandy smiled again "The very one!"

Beautiful, funny, charming, and now he could add smart to the list, next thing you know he'd find out she was a Slayer! Oh boy he had to get out of there fast!

"Yeah I do actually. He moved down to room one fourteen when Mrs. Frasier retired. They haven't updated the new school rosters yet" Xander informed her. "Doesn't he teach like the top five percent of the school?" Xander asked. He only knew of his classes because Willow was in them and she excitedly babbled on about his classes.

"More like the top two percent actually." Sandy beamed with evident pride.

Xander turned and pointed the other way down the hall. "Third door on the right, you were already heading in the right direction, you can't miss it."

"Thanks." Sandy flashed a toothy smile that would have given Cordelia's a run for her money.

"Uh, listen I got to go. It was nice talking to you Xander." Sandy smiled.

"It was nice talking to you too Sandy, I'll see you later." Xander smiled.

"You too" Sandy echoed. They parted ways pleasantly and proceeded down the halls in opposite directions heading to their respective classes; with Xander exhaling a deep sigh and a mirthful chuckle at the same time he shook his head before he disappeared into the crowd.

Sandy made it about halfway to her class when she suddenly stopped and spun around to look back at Xander, who had already vanished into the sea of faces. The frown that had crept on her face as she tried to recall something important melted away to be replaced by wide eyes and a hand covering her slack jaw as she desperately tried to pick him out in the retreating crowd.

"Hey Sandy, you ok?" Another girl walked up next to her.

"I'm fine, Aura." Sandy smiled in recognition of her friend.

"You sure?" Aura asked in concern.

"I'm sure." Sandy smiled genuinely. She grabbed Aura's arm and gently began leading her down the hall back to her class. "Aura, what do you know about a guy named Xander?"

***********

The Library had been buzzing with activity since the start of the school day as students were busy looking for books they would need for the semester. The library was the only facility on campus that was big enough and organized enough for the students to collect their assigned books for their respective classes.

It was not usually this busy in the Library, and in fact only a small tight nit group ever occupied it at any given time. But today the place had been a practical war zone! A crowd had descended on the library with all the subtly of a lynch mob as each student threw themselves with gusto into the virtual battle with one another in order to achieve the prize of the best books. It was an amusing sight to see for the casual onlooker not engaged in what Xander had described to Giles as 'Mortal Kombat!'

But that had been earlier in the day and things had rather died down since then which allowed the Watcher to act in his capacity as Librarian. As such, when Giles stepped out behind the stacks on the mezzanine level, Willow was right next to him.

"Hey Giles, how did things go with Anakin last night?" Willow asked.

"I watched - and felt entirely inadequate - as Anakin cut down over a dozen vampires with disturbing ease. And they never even laid a hand on him." Giles answered with a shake of his head.

"That's about par for the course for the guy." Willow deadpanned."

"Quite." Giles nodded. "So how did things pan out at the cemetery?" Giles asked as they made their way down the steps.

"Dusted him no problem" Willow smiled as she fell in step just behind Giles.

The duo split up as Giles went through the door to go behind the checkout counter while Willow remained on the other side. "That's very good to hear Willow. I was somewhat skeptical with Anakin's assessment that you all were fit to patrol the quieter areas of town on your own, but I see now that I was mistaken. But for God sakes be careful out there. I mean, um, I appreciate your efforts to keep the vampire population down until Buffy returns, but um…Well, if anything should happen to any of you and…you should be killed, I should take it somewhat amiss." Giles related as he took Willows books and scanned them.

"You'd be cranky?" Willow smiled.

"_Entirely_" Giles said, returning her smile with just a hint of sarcasm and fatherly warmth.

"Well we do our best not to get in over our heads. Anakin said it was all about choosing battles you know you can win. That falls in line with our whole mission statement." Willow said.

"And what would that be?" Giles regarded Willow with an amused smirk.

"Don't get killed." Willow responded dryly. She took her books and stacked them neatly just as the phone in Giles's office began to ring incessantly.

"Good, good." Giles tapped the top book in her pile "I think you are going to love that one. Excuse me" Giles moved off towards his office to answer his phone. Willow picked up her books and started out of the library. But before she could take a few steps Cordelia came up to her.

"Hi!" Willow greeted.

"Hey, Willow." Cordelia smiled as she put her bag on the counter.

"How was the little family get-together?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Daddy wanted to get away so he decided to take us to Disney land. I didn't exactly have a choice in the matter. Like I didn't out grow that five years ago. The whole time I was there I was hoping we'd hurry up and get back."

"You didn't have fun? I mean, I wish my parents would have taken me to Disney land…but they ah, sorta never have time for…me."

Cordelia shrugged slightly "It was ok, except for the part I almost got us thrown out by slugging Mickey Mouse, but other than that it was just…boring."

"Wait a minute, you punched Mickey Mouse? Cordelia how could you do that?" Willow asked in morbid curiosity.

"He sorta snuck up on me when I wasn't looking and Anakin's training just kicked in. He was out cold and kissing pavement before I realized what had happened. Oops, I tell you explaining that one to security was real fun."

"Eep." Willow grimaced.

"Don't let the excitement in my voice fool you, it was all about dread, I just wanted to hurry home and be with Xander." Cordelia smiled warmly. "So what happened while I was away?"

"Dustin vamps, you know, the usual. Oh. You remember Andy Hoelick from the gymnastics team, right?" At Cordelia's nod Willow continued on "Well he got turned yesterday so we had to stake him."

Cordelia shook her head sadly. "He was a sweet guy, a bit of a dork but he was a sweet dork none the less. In fact I've noticed there are a few familiar faces that aren't here that should be."

Yeah…" Willow exhaled sadly. "That's life in Sunnydale for you." She tried not to think of Buffy as she adjusted her books while Cordelia grabbed her bag then they both stepped out of the library and into the hall.

"Is Xander around?" Cordelia asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Yeah, I saw him earlier, he's around here somewhere." Will responded.

"Good, great, I haven't seen him yet." Cordelia pulled her hair behind her ears.

"Cordelia it's only been a week." Willow pointed out.

"I know. Do I look Ok?" Cordelia asked.

Willow nodded and smiled. "Oh, yeah, you look great."

Cordelia suddenly looked worried. "How's my hair?"

"Uh, it's good!" Willow smiled reassuringly.

"He didn't meet anyone while I was gone, did he?" Cordelia asked suddenly,before continuing on as if she hadn't heard Willow's earlier assurances. "No, who's he gonna meet in Sunnydale, but monsters and stuff? But then again he's always been attracted to monsters." Cordelia turned to Willow with another worried look "How's my hair?"

"Still good." Willow turned to leave and spotted Oz coming towards her which surprised her. What was he doing here? She started to move in his direction when Cordelia grabbed her arm and turned Willow back towards her.

"Maybe he's forgotten me. Maybe he has his eye on some nasty skank trying to take what's mine." Cordelia released her iron grip on Willows arms and smiled thinly. "Well, I'll just have to make him remember." She smiled to Willow as she moved off. "See ya."

Willow turned back to face Oz. "Hey, you came to visit me." Willow spotted the books in his hands. "You came with books? Are they books for me?" Willow asked.

"Well, actually, they're kinda for me." Oz replied delicately.

"I don't get it." Willow responded as if she'd heard a joke she didn't understand. They started walking down the halls through a practical beehive of activity as students moved this way and that to head to their own classes or the lounge to enjoy their free period.

"Well it's sort of a funny story. You remember when I didn't graduate?"

"Well I know you had a lot of incompletes, buts that's what summer school was for." Willow responded.

"Yeah, well you remember when I didn't go?"

Two students ran past eliciting a yell from a teacher "Whoa, slow down, people. Summer is over, be somber!"

Willow was shaking her head as if she couldn't wrap her brain around what she was hearing. "But you never said anything, and I probably should have figured this out sooner because I always thought it was weird how you always made it to daily training. So, how am I supposed to react to this rather alarming news?" Willow asked.

"Well, actually, I was pretty much banking on you finding it cute." Oz Countered.

"Well, traditionally, you know, repeating a grade isn't exactly a turn-on." Willow began as they reached the lounge "A-and you're practically a genius. You're Mr. Test Scores. I-it's all a little weird."

Oz grimaced slightly "So the cute thing is out?"

Xander strolled up to them before Willow could answer. "Have you guys seen Cordelia?"

"Yeah, she's around here somewhere." Willow answered.

"Awesome." Xander said with a big grin. "Which way?"

Willow pointed vauegly down the hall towards the nearby lounge, her gaze not leaving Oz. "That way."

"Cool, you know, how do I—"

"--You look good and your hair is fine. Believe me that's _all _I've been hearing about most of the morning." Willow interrupted.

'Yeah dude, rumor mill is buzzing about you, big time." Oz added.

"Cool, I'll catch you guys later." Xander said distractedly. His eyes narrowed slightly as he faced the lounge, then with a big grin he calmly walked off.

Larry and another member of the football team walked past Willow and Oz allowing them to overhear the excited jock. "This is our year, I'm telling you. Best football season ever! I'm so in shape, I'm a rock!" Larry stopped by the vending machine just as Willow and Oz were walking past him in to the lounge "It's all about egg whites. If we can focus, keep discipline, and not have quite as many mysterious deaths, Sunnydale is gonna _rule_!"

Willow finally spoke up once she was sure her voice wouldn't be drowned out by the excited football player. "I'm trying to get to cute, really. But I'm still sorta stuck on strange."

"Well, I'd be willing to bargain down to eccentric with an option on cool." Oz smiled as he took Willows arm in his and walked to the raised area in the lounge with the couches. Behind them Xander and Cordelia finally met up.

"Hey gorgeous" Xander smiled brightly

"Hey" Cordelia returned his smile.

"Good little family trip?" Xander asked.

"It totally sucked." Cordelia answered honestly.

"Miss me?" Xander grinned.

Cordelia returned his grin with one of her own. "Every day."

Xander drew her close and wrapped his arms around her middle that rested in the small of her back and planted a big scorching kiss. The kind he knew that drove her crazy.

Cordelia wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned contently before pulling back. "I especially missed those." She whispered huskily into his ear."

"That's good, because for a while there I was worried Pedro the cabana boy put you under his spell and I was going to have to fight to get you back." Xander smiled playfully.

Cordelia playfully rolled her eyes. "Never gonna happen, if you keep that up!"

The two young lovers moved in for another Kiss when the sound of someone clearing their throat emanated behind Cordelia, halting them mid motion.

"Mr. Harris and Miss. Chase, I thought we had this discussion once before about public displays of affection." The squeaky voice of Sunnydale's Napoleon wannabe dictator stated loudly for everyone in the packed lounge to hear.

Xander stifled a groan as he momentarily rested his forehead against Cordelia's before slowly releasing her and facing the insufferable little troll head on.

"Mr. Harris, why am I not surprised you and your little delinquent girlfriend are the ones so cavalierly breaking this rule?" Principal Snyder asked with a sneer.

"Practicing for the drama club? You know that famous kiss scene from '_Gone with the Wind_'? I hear it's a real winner"

"You're not in the drama club Mr. Harris." Snyder pointed out rudely "In fact the _only_ acting I could see _you_ doing, is playing a bum on a street corner begging for change. And as for your little delinquent girlfriend, I'm afraid she just doesn't have what it takes to succeed in Hollywood. Keep your dreams simple darling, like snatching some rich fool for a husband. That way when you're disappointed by your inevitable failure you have something to fall back on. While you still have assets to use."

Xander could feel Cordelia's rising anger, matched by that of practically everyone in the lounge. One thing that was universal in Sunnydale High school was a loathing of Principal Snyder. The man seemed to go out of his way to hurt people. Unlike principle Flooty who had been largely respected by everyone.

"That was a very mean thing to say Principal Snyder." Willow instantly came to their defense.

"The truth often hurts Miss Rosenberg." Snyder smiled thinly.

That was it! Xander swore to himself. Snyder could make fun at his expense all he wanted and Xander wouldn't bat an eye, but the _moment_ he or anyone else, attacked his friends it would not go unanswered. Stretching out to the Force Xander focused on two particular points on Snyder's suite. With very subtle gestures of his fingers Xander was going to make a point that Snyder wasn't going to be the only one embarrassed by this little confrontation. Xander absently noticed that Oz was frowning directly at him but he didn't allow himself to be distracted by it.

"Why are you all still here!?" Snyder nearly roared, causing what little conversation in the lounge to cease abruptly. "Don't you all have classes to be getting to?"

"It's almost lunch time Principal Snyder and most of us have a free period, besides our lessons don't really start till tomorrow." Willow spoke up again with a firm voice that showed she wasn't intimidated by him but in fact was rather angry.

Snyder pointed a finger directly at her in warning "Don't you talk back to me little lady or it will be detention for you."

Willow looked like she was about to speak up again when Oz put a hand on her shoulder and quietly shook his head, something that silenced her.

"Good" Snyder nodded with a growing triumphant smile on his face that Xander couldn't wait to wipe off. "Now as for the rest of you delinquents I suggest you clear out of here now or you will all be in detention for the next week."

Snyder turned to walk away but suddenly faltered with a yelp when he felt his pants give way and fall to his ankles, exposing his tightie wighties. The spectacle was soon greeted by roaring laughter from the entire lounge as people pointed and laughed in delight.

"Stop that!" Snyder squeaked in a high pitched voice. "You all have detention, every one of you!" Snyder pulled up his pants and took a step to leave when he fell over again, this time completely, as he tripped over his tied shoelaces. In the process of falling over he again lost his pants as he fell face first.

The roaring laughter increased to a near frantic pitch as everyone pointed and laughed in delight, and a mocking round of applause broke out from the perimeter of the group…but one individual didn't join in with the mirth, eyeing Xander suspiciously.

Snyder managed to wrestle himself off the floor and pull his pants up and glared at the crowd before finally setting his eyes firmly on Xander.

"This isn't over Mr. Harris! I know you're responsible for this, I'll see you rot in detention for this!" Snyder yelped then he clumsily bunny hopped out of the lounge and down the hall as the people in the lounge, and now the adjacent hallway, laughed in delight at his predicament.

"Oh my God Xander how did you do that?" Cordelia asked as soon as she recovered from her fit of laughter.

"Do what?" Xander asked.

"That thing with your fingers that made Snyder lose his pants and any cool points he wished he had!" Cordelia clarified. Xander grimaced; apparently he hadn't been quite as sneaky as he thought he had been. He needed to think quickly and throw them off the scent before they got suspicious. But before he could formulate a response he got help from a most unexpected source.

"It looked like a magic trick I've seen done before; simple, not very dangerous, but effective for small tricks." Oz spoke up.

"Wow, really?" Willow beamed a smile at Xander "Xander that was so cool!"

"I'll say, that'll teach that badly dressed little dwarf to mess with me!" Cordelia turned toward Xander and wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled "You do the sweetest things."

"Anything for my girl" Xander winked. He kissed the tip of her nose and pulled back to take note of the crowd suddenly gathering around them. By this point, having heard Snyder's proclamation of Xanders guilt, numerous students came by and offered backslaps, high fives or simply just to acknowledge the cool trick. Xander ate it up. Having spent most of the day preparing to deal with the usual myriad of insults, sneers and general contempt from his fellow students, Xander wasn't quite prepared to handle their praise and affection. In just a few simple hours of maintaining his focus while not falling into familiar habits, and one small subtle use of the Force, he'd gone from class clown to the hero of the day.

In the lounge and throughout the rest of the school the bell rung signifying the start of Lunch as everyone began to pour out.

"Keep it up Xander and you just might be the most popular guy by the end of the week." Cordelia proclaimed.

"A guy could get to like that." Xander smiled.

*****************

**WolfRam and Hart**

**Los Angeles Branch.**

"Yes, yes that's everything we have, our complete dossier." Lindsey McDonald said into his secure cell phone with a satisfied smile. "I assure you it'll point your boss in the right direction." Lindsey paused as the other person on the line responded.

"Yes I'm sure she's been giving your boss no end of grief, but now with the information we've provided I'm sure you can handle the rest." Lindsay said with a roll of his eyes.

"We'd just like for you to remember that, as always, it is our esteemed pleasure to be of service." Lindsey paused again as the other person on the line spoke.

"We would definitely appreciate all the gory details of her demise, accurate records and all that. Pictures would be good as well." Lindsey stated with a smirk. There was brief chuckle on the other end of the line then the person spoke again.

"Before _and_ after pictures would be appreciated," Lindsey continued. "Something that captures that look of stark terror on her face _just right_, that way we can confirm it is actually her. After that….well, just something that still has her face relatively intact so we can positively identify the body. DNA and fingerprints cost time and money to identify."

There was a brief murmur of acknowledgement on the other end. "Excellent, then I look forward to hearing of your success Mr. Trick. Please convey our compliments to your boss." There was another brief murmur of acknowledgement then the line went dead.

Lindsey smiled to himself before putting away his cell phone. Holland Manners would want to hear about this as soon as possible now that Kakistos would be moving against Faith the Slayer with the information Wolfram and Hart had so generously provided. Shuffling the files in his hands, Lindsey strolled out of his office and toward Holland's with an amenable gait, pleased he at least had _some _good news to bring his boss to offset the other reports he was carrying, the files relating to the new Demon Hunter in Sunnydale. It made for some _very_ grim reading, and it had been some time since Lindsey's last report to Holland on the matter, quite a bit had changed since then. Holland was _not_ going to like this one bit.

"….And at last report the entire ore operation has been completely shutdown; all contact with Hell dimension HD-417 has been severed. We've been trying to reestablish contact…but the chances are there may not _be_ anyone left to contact." Lilah reported as Lindsey quietly made his way into Holland Manners office.

Lindsey frowned slightly in confusion, a move that Lilah didn't fail to notice, she answered with her own little smug half smile. Lindsey immediately schooled his face in an expression of diligent concern, but inwardly he was instantly on the alert. Long and painful experience meant that smiles like that from Lilah set off definite alarm bells in his mind.

Holland had a very grave look on his face; he was quite clearly stressed, as if he were about to have an ulcer on the spot. He motioned for Lilah to continue.

"We did manage to get a microburst transmission from HD-417 shortly before it went offline. This is what we got" Lilah related. She grabbed a nearby remote and directed it to a wall mounted monitor and clicked a button. On the screen the image of a young woman fighting through the Hell dimension's guard force came through in all its gut wrenching horror. She moved with a grace that would have made a dancer green with envy, her strikes packed enough power in them to make Mike Tyson whimper in shame, and she demonstrated cunning and dexterity that would have made seasoned warriors build a shrine in her honor.

She moved methodically, cutting through the guard force without breaking a sweat, despite the terrible heat and humidity that permeated the place. She was strikingly small, almost tiny, yet she towered over her opposition as only few could, even those of _her_ calling.

The blonde hair, the clearly recognizable visage of her face, the way she fought, even the witty jokes she cracked with her Californian accent, all of it confirmed her identity better than any report _ever_ could. And there was only one person who fit _that_ description, much to the creeping horror and weary resignation of the trio in the office.

_Buffy Summers._

Lilah stopped the recording and there was heavy moment of oppressive silence as the trio of demonic lawyers struggled to come to grips with what had happened. HD-417 was one of three ore refinement facilities, top of the line in fact, that used the best in human slave labor and deceptively advanced ore refinement techniques. The refined ore served a critical purpose to the Senior Partners as the material was used in the construction and maintenance of armor and weapons for the growing armies of the Senior Partners…and for precious materials needed and solely utilized by the circle of the Black Thorn.

To lose even one of these facilities set back the timetable the Senior Partners themselves hadput down, _considerably_.

The facilities themselves had been established in Hell Dimensions under the control of the Senior Partners and subcontracted out to a private security company that had long since jumped into bed with WolfRam and Hart. The Hell dimension facilities had been considered safe from reproach by the Slayer or _anyone_ gutsy enough, or stupid enough to try and take them down. And that was assuming they even knew about them to begin with. But a Slayer, and not just any Slayer, but the notorious Buffy Summers had just done what no other Slayer in history had ever accomplished. She'd just managed to hurt WolfRam and Hart; just how badly was still being assessed.

But if Lindsey knew anything about the Senior Partners, he knew they were going to be seriously _pissed_ and would expect heads to roll for this. A fact that certainly didn't bode well for any of the three occupants in the room, each of whom had a considerable stake in this situation.

"How did this happen?" Holland Manners finally spoke into the thick him more closely, Lindsey noted that Holland was deathly pale and breathing deeply. He suspected that Holland couldn't decide whether to be furious or panic. The once calm and cool exterior he always portrayed had been shattered leaving Holland looking more vulnerable than he had ever seen him.

"We have been able to extract certain details from a number of survivors of the incident. In particular a girl named Anne who, believe it or not, knew the Slayer. According to her, 'Ken' the leader of a local outreach group had managed to convince her to take refuge at the local shelter for the homeless. Apparently that's where Miss Summers met Ken; there was some kind of altercation concerning Anne and many of the 'forgotten' workforces. Anne believed that the Slayer had managed to piece together enough information to lead her to the shelter. Details are sketchy how she got into HD-417 but once there she quickly went to work on shutting it down and freeing the remaining labor force.

"Ken was the cover name of the lead demon in charge, was it not?" Holland asked. The demon himself was actually one of the most trusted by WolfRam and Hart for the job.

"Yes." Lilah responded.

"How in the hell did he _not_ know he was dealing with the Slayer!?" Holland said in a dangerously calm voice.

Lilah flipped through her paperwork for a moment before responding, a move Lindsey knew was designed give herself a few seconds to present the data in a way that would put the least damage on her. "According to our records, 'Ken' was using the local blood bank as a means to screen healthy candidates from sick ones. All candidates were required to be tested; if the Slayer had given blood then the unique properties of her physiology would have raised the alarm. But she never did."

That was a bit of an understatement. WolfRam and Hart had, throughout its long and wretched history, aided in the hunting and extermination of Slayers, with more than a few occasions of obtaining blood and tissue samples to analyze. It had been the hope of the Senior Partners to reproduce the amazing gifts of the Slayer for _their_ own use, but sadly all they were capable of achieving was identifying certain mystical and genetic markers of one of the Chosen.

"We're still not certain how she pieced together the Shelter was the front for the Ore operation, but she did." Lilah concluded with a disturbingly calm expression on her face that sent alarm bells ringing in his head. _What was she up to?_

"Thank you Lilah." Holland said then he turned to Lindsey. "Lindsey, how the hell did she get by you, and go this long without detection? Especially right here, in our own front yard?" Holland huffed.

Lindsey grimaced inwardly. Now he knew why the bitch - as she was quietly known - was so smug. Lilah's mandate was internal, although she, like himself, did from time to time meet with foreign clients and coordinate with branches outside of Los Angeles. His primary responsibility was affairs in LA and the nearby towns, and as such, it was his balls that were on the band saw for this particular situation.

"Sir I can't explain it, no Slayer we have on record has _ever _operated like Miss. Summers has. Whenever a Slayer is called she immediately has a dramatic effect on the Local vampire and demon community before moving on to bigger targets and eventually getting herself killed. We don't know how long she's actually been in Los Angeles; there have been no rumors or sightings of a possible Slayer in the area and no sudden thinning of the vampire population, believe me _that_ would have instantly grabbed our attention."

Lilah weighed in as well "Our teams were quickly dispatched to her place here in LA; her landlord was most cooperative and provided us all the information he could. According to our projected timetable she arrived shortly after her battle with Angelus and took up residence. She did absolutely nothing that would have identified herself as a Slayer in that time."

"A deep undercover operation maybe?" Holland put forward.

Lindsey took the initiative, seizing the opportunity to defend himself, although not before shooting Lilah a swift assessing glance._ Why was she helping him? Was it fear of the Senior partners, or did she have some deeper motive? What is the bitch planning, and does it involve my neck?"_ With no trace of his internal monologue, he spoke confidently and calmly,thinking as fast as he ever had. "Not likely. Considering how Slayers and their Watchers tend to operate they left far too many witnesses behind. And there is the fact that Miss Summers left her apartment in the care of the young girl, Anne. No, there were far too many loose ends to tie up for this to be some sort of deep cover strike. Watchers and Slayers simply do not put innocent lives at risk like that."

Holland nodded, apparently satisfied, although Lindsey knew from long experience not to be deceived or to let his guard down. One did not become head of a Wolfram & Hart branch easily, especially one as important as Los Angeles, Describing the business as cut-throat was a major understatement. Skeletons in the closet were most definitely _not_ a rarity, although they tended more to be decapitated & mutilated corpses in Manner's case.

Manner's spoke. "This Anne girl and the other witnesses, they could cause us some serious trouble if word got back we were involved in this, what are we doing about them?"

Lilah's predatory grin would have given a Vampire's a run for its money "We could simply have them killed." Lilah offered.

"No." Answered Holland with an emphatic shake of his head, "that's the last thing we need right now. Dead bodies tend to leave trails that can be traced back to their source. The last thing the Senior Partners are going to want to deal with is more unwanted attention."

"We need to do _something_ sir." Lilah emphasized.

"We'll need to do something to show that we're on top of the situation and find someone fitting to shift the blame too." Lindsey offered, having finally recovered his balance. '_Someone fitting, that isn't me!' _he thought darkly, wondering if he could somehow shift the blame to Lilah? It was unlikely he knew. She was too good at her job to make stupid mistakes or leave openings that could be used against her.

"Your right about _that_ Lindsey." Holland agreed with a Nod. Lindsey felt his blood run cold at that statement. It wasn't what Holland had said…it was the _way_ he had said it. It was as if Lindsey could _feel_ what Holland was thinking. Tossing a glance at Lilah he observed every few moments she would gaze at him from time to time with a thoughtful expression on her face. Lilah was, in fact, easier to read then Holland was, and Lindsey had no doubt she was going to use this situation as leverage against him.

Then in a flash of sudden realization, that nearly threatened to make Lindsey loose his lunch, he realized that his earlier fears had become reality. They were already planning to use _him_ as their fall guy!

It made sense really; when the rational part of his mind fought pass the shock and sudden fear he felt. Lindsey had been tasked with tracking down Buffy Summers. Despite everything else, that had been his primary job outside of his cases. The fact that he had _failed_ to accomplish that job, which allowed Buffy Summers to shut down one of their most critical operations…well, unless he said something extremely fast, there was only one way this could end.

His record with the Firm had been unblemished up to this point, but Lindsey knew that wasn't going to save him. No…he needed to find some way to stand apart from the others and survive the inevitable purges that were sure to follow, and he suddenly realized that the file in his hand just might be one of a few ways of doing that...in the long term. But in the mean time he had a few other ideas that could stabalize if not elevate his position.

"We could just do nothing sir," Lindsey put forth rejoining the discussion.

"What did you have in mind Lindsey?" Holland asked.

"We let them talk to anyone who would listen-"

"-Are you out of your mind!" Lilah snapped, cutting him off.

"Let him Finish Lilah." Holland said sternly.

"As I was saying," Lindsey began again "We let the kids talk their heads off, telling everyone and anyone who'll listen about how they met demons who enslaved them at some halfway house. The sheer absurdity of their story will be the equivalent of giving them enough rope to hang themselves; they'll lose all sense of credibility. People will think they've been hitting the drugs just a _bit _too hard. In the end no one is going to believe them and the situation will resolve itself."

"Our teams are already working to contain the situation, so there's not much likelihood of anyone outside of the Firm learning of _our_ connection to the ore refinery. Our biggest problem is not to lose our heads when the Senior Partners inevitably decide to clean house." Lilah added, immediately aware that the scales of blame had tipped suddenly against her, and trying not to be outshined by Lindsey.

"I want a way out of this situation that doesn't involve us losing our heads, or worse. We need something put forth soon; _very_ soon. Is that understood?" Holland demanded.

Lindsey could literally _feel_ the lie in that statement and suddenly the fear inside him slowly shifted to a red, hot, _consuming_ anger. A rage that seemed to transform the room from its normally bright and sunny view into a murky crimson hue; His anger sharpened his focus and his senses and resolved his will to survive…no… not to survive… to _profit _from this _opportunity;_ at the expense of everyone in the room. He had never felt such strength flow through him before, _enlightening_ him to this plot, _invigorating_ him with its strength, and _demanding_ him to rise up and cast down his rivals. He couldn't help but be amazed at the ease though which a plan began to take shape in his mind; fueled by this new found strength coursing through him. And it all happened in the span of a few moments, behind a thoughtful façade that gave away nothing to the other two occupants in the room.

"Actually sir _I_ have a few ideas that might help _us_ salvage something from this situation and put us _all_ in a far better position so that we don't lose our heads." Lindsey said in a tone of voice that bordered on smug superiority.

Holland and Lilah looked up to him in surprise before Holland motioned for Lindsey to continue.

"We can use the private security contractors as our scapegoats, their senior executives are actually humans. At the same time we can use this to cover certain operational expenses by using their next of kin as payment." Lindsey said.

Holland and Lilah shared a look of confusion before Holland turned back to Lindsey and spoke up. "Go on Lindsey."

"Sir, the Firm uses private security contractors that specialize in working for and utilizing 'demonic entities'. WolfRam and Hart is actually their biggest employer. The point is _they_ are the ones responsible for security in the hell dimensions the Senior Partners own and operate, so we subtly shift blame on to the heads of their senior executives and field operatives. Arch Duke Sebassus will no doubt dispatch elements from his Honor Guard to extract revenge, while we are using their next of Kin as a form of payment for damages incurred by _their_ incompetence."

"Keep going." Holland asked his gaze distant as if focused on the big picture, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and hoping, _praying _that it was real…

"Sir I know of a Sheik that owns a Brothel in Saudi Arabia that would be more than happy to buy the daughters of their senior executives for a hefty price; western women are highly coveted over there-" Lindsey observed that Lilah fidgeted in her seat ever so slightly in discomfort, and judging by the look on her face, disgust as well, but she wasn't speaking up. That told Lindsey that while she was disgusted with this plan _she_ had no alternative and thus reluctantly went along with it.

"-And if I'm not mistaken" Lindsey continued without missing a beat, " We have a _very_ lucrative client right here in LA that is in need of a heart transplant and replacement body fluids, I believe the senior executive of the private contractors security force has a son who is an athlete and a rising star at just twenty years old."

"Excellent Lindsey!" Holland praised. "With both of these deals we could cover the processing cost to close the ore operation…"

"…And provide startup funds to help get the facility back online once we reestablish contact." Lindsey directed smoothly. That's when Lindsey knew he had them.

"Meaning that while we were delivered a grievous blow by the Slayer, we are the _only_ ones coming up with solutions, so that this situation is not a total loss." Holland echoed Lindsey's line of reasoning.

"Bringing to light the true extent of incompetent security by our Private Security contractors; thus ensuring that _we_ come out of this situation smelling like roses while our rivals are purged by the Senior Partners." Lindsey added. "In fact we can probably go one better than that and use this situation as a means for a quiet takeover of their Security firm. It would definitely cut down on operational costs in the future."

Looking to Holland he could already see the man jumping all over the plan, which meant that at least in the short term Lindsey had just bought himself a reprieve, but that didn't mean he had forgotten what these two had just tried to do to him….oh no he would not forget this at _all_.

But vengeance could wait for another day. Survival took first priority.

"I like it" Holland smiled in relief "How soon can we implement this plan?"

"With the placing of a few calls I can have everything arranged by the close of business _today_." Lindsey offered a coldly confident smile. "Bear in mind the Firm won't come out on top but we'll at least be able to salvage something from this tragedy, spin this as quick action to step in and clean up the mess these contractors left us."

"Then make it happen, Lindsey, dismissed." A very much relieved Holland manners reclined back into his seat.

Lilah got up and headed for the door without another word and Lindsey again could sense a glimmer of her feelings, he even managed to catch the faint trace of a satisfied smile before she left the office.

_Big mistake Lilah… Why is she satisfied, she just lost out? Or was this part of her plan?_

"Lindsey you have something else to report on?" Holland asked distractedly from behind his desk. He pulled out a bottle of brandy and quickly filled a cup which he downed immediately, and then another to calm his quacking nerves.

"I was coming to brief you on the situations in Boston and Sunnydale sir. Mr. Trick on behalf of Kakistos called a short while ago, just as you said they would-" A little acknowledgement from Lindsey to placate Holland, playing to his ego to throw Holland off balance and make him think Lindsey didn't suspect what had almost happened and that things were still status quo- "Kakistos is set to move against Faith. It shouldn't be long before we hear good news back from them."

And on the sudden and very likely chance that something went wrong, which Lindsey intended to quietly engineer so that the situation blew up in hollands face.

So when Holland reported to the Senior Partners that they were expecting good news on the take down of the new Slayer, it would highly embarrass him if things _didn't_ quite go as reported. Of course Lindsey had to be subtle about this and cover his tracks, lest the blame be shifted to him as the case manager. He just had to do it in a way that there could be no doubt as to _Holland's_ sloppy management, perhaps micromanagement, of the situation and not his own efforts. The growing number of failures under his leadership or at least related to his tenure would no doubt call into question his competence…

Leaving room open for advancement.

"Good, good." Holland muttered into his third glass of Brandy in as many minutes. Lindsey could already feel the potent alcohol starting to cloud the man's mind and senses. He had suspected for a while that success had started to dull Manner's edge. He might have fought his way with skill and subtlety, and over a large pile of dead bodies, to the top position in LA, but Lindsey had just begun to have the smallest suspicion that the man had become sloppy. He seemed overconfident, far too certain of his position in an organization where advancement over the corpse of your boss was a time honored tradition. Of course Lindsey had thought it could easily be a ploy, designed to make himself and Lilah overconfident but this new … awareness… of Lindsey's made him wonder if his suspicions were true.

"What do you have to report on Sunnydale?" Holland asked.

"Nothing new, sir" and Lindsey slid his folder out of view. "Our local team has had to pull back to a safe distance as they were nearly made by Skywalker." That wasn't necessarily a lie, but not completely true either; Anakin Skywalker's unrelenting campaign on the Hellmouth had come _relatively_ close to nabbing the team sent to monitor him. So Lindsey _was_ reporting the truth…from a certain point of view.

"Has he shown any other abilities?" Holland asked.

It happened so fast it momentarily took Lindsey off guard but for just a _moment_ it was as if he could sense Holland's thoughts. Images came, too fast and too many to truly make out. But a few did stick with Lindsey. That of figures cloaked in deepest black, glowing yellow eyes with frightening passion and power. They were _glorious_…

_The Sith_

The name seamed to resonate from somewhere he couldn't make out, almost like a whisper but it was most definitely not Holland's mind. Lindsey was sure of that much.

"No sir." Lindsey lied.

"Keep monitoring Lindsey." Holland said, now on his _fifth_ glass of brandy.

This was something that both confused and frustrated Lindsey initially. When he had reported to Holland of Anakin Skywalker's crusade in Sunnydale and the devastating effectiveness it was having. Holland's remarks at first glance appeared to make no sense. But as Lindsey pieced it together it was beginning to become perfectly clear what Holland was up too.

Holland was planning to maneuver himself into position to take _sole_ credit for Skywalker's capture or downfall. So he kept Lindsey busy with gathering information and the latest up to date details while Holland quietly maneuvered his own people and resources into position who would eventually take Skywalker down.

It was a simple, yet none the less clever plan for all that, a clear reminder that while Manner's _might_ be overconfident, he was most certainly not _stupid_, and still extremely dangerous! It was a plan that just might have worked too, if Lindsey's new found awareness hadn't kicked in, and that was most definitely _not_ going to happen. But the images Lindsey had glanced from Holland's mind-and Lindsey was increasingly certain that was where they came from- indicated that Holland knew _exactly_ what Skywalker was or at the least had experience in dealing with his kind before.

That in turn meant there had to be records within the Firms archives that Lindsey needed to get too, if he was to profit from _this_ situation as well.

Bringing about a favorable end to the ore refinery incident, making Holland look like a fool in front of the Senior Partners on the Faith situation, and maneuvering himself to take the credit when it came time to bring down Skywalker, all the while denying Lilah _her_ chance to profit from all of this…

All in a days' work at WolfRam and Hart.

"Don't worry, sir. I'm _all over_ the situation." Lindsey smiled, his voice dripping with double meaning that his now half intoxicated prey was totally oblivious too. Lindsey soon left Holland's office. He had preparations to make, and a very short window of opportunity in which to make them.

* * *

Joyce Summers was in her kitchen. She was down on her knees trying to retrieve a stuck utensil from her dishwasher, an item which had somehow, against all odds, become lodged in perhaps the most difficult place conceivable to remove. It was a task that was causing her no small degree of frustration. As she wrestled with it, leaning forward in an awkward position, her back reminding her depressingly that she was no longer as spry as she used to be, there came suddenly from above her head the chimes of the doorbell.

Startled, she sat back onto her heels. Then, frowning at the fork she had just in that instant managed to wrestle free, she rose to her feet. Dropping the fork into the sink, she grabbed a towel to wipe her hands and set off to cover the short distance to the front door. As she moved out of the Kitchen and into the hall, she couldn't help but wonder who might be visiting her now.

Mr. Giles had come back empty handed again only a day ago, and Willow and Xander had just left two hours ago after coming by to see her. Steeling her resolve she draped the towel over a chair and slowly made her way to the door. When she opened it a flood of conflicting emotions hit her like a blow to the gut at the sight of the unexpected figure standing there. It took all her willpower to hold the tears back, but only just.

Buffy.

She looked disheveled and tired. A small bag hung over her shoulder, and what Joyce recognized as the stub of a bus ticket was clutched in her hand. Her beautiful green eyes, so familiar to Joyce, reflected mixed emotions of sadness and perhaps hopefulness at the same time. For a long moment neither moved, just staring at each other without a word having to be spoken; then by mutual consent they stepped toward each other and held each other close in a long, tight embrace.

It didn't matter that she had been gone for over three months. It didn't matter that Joyce had spent all night, every night of those long months tossing and turning in her bed, worrying over her daughter. The weight of the heated words they had exchanged, which had hung so heavily on her heart since that day, seemed suddenly to vanish, becoming merely a bad memory from long ago, as the two cried into each other's embrace. All that mattered was that she was home.

Buffy Summers had finally come home.


	9. Chapter 8: Part 1

**Chapter 8.**

**The Return Part 1: The Slayer the Savage and the Jedi**

Settling in.

It was a strange concept, made all the stranger by the simple fact the place she was settling into was her own room. For more than three months she had been gone, living a mere existence, lost within a sea of faces and blissful anonymity. No one had known who she was or even cared, and she had liked it that way. The thought of coming home had been too painful to bear. Not because she couldn't face her mother after defying her wishes in order to save the world. Not to face her friends who had held a slight hint of bitterness towards her; for allowing the situation to snowball out of hand. And not to face her watcher whom she had utterly failed. No, none of these were reasons enough to keep her away.

It was _him_.

His memory that seemed to permeate everywhere she looked. The bed they had slept on, the window he had climbed through, almost everywhere she looked provoked an image, a memory. The man who had captured her heart and her soul, who had become the love of her life… and the greatest enemy she had ever faced. The man she had kissed goodbye for the final time before cramming a sword through his heart and sending him to hell… to save the world.

Angel.

Not Angelus the rampaging monster, but Angel the man, _her_ great love. Even now, the thought of it was like someone twisting the knife in her heart. So she didn't think about it. She was determined to put it behind her, and she _would_ put it behind her. Because she was Buffy Summers and she had no other choice but to press on.

Within an hour after coming home and recovering from the emotional rollercoaster ride that had been her reunion with her mother. Buffy had decided to check her local sources for any information concerning 'mysterious deaths' or anything out of the usual. The obituary in the Sunnydale Tribune was ironically a great source of information, if one read between the lines and the world of unsaid that _didn't_ make it into the paper. She was surprised by what she saw; absolutely nothing on mysterious deaths dating back two weeks, which was simply unheard of in Sunnydale.

_That's odd._ Buffy frowned in confusion. But she decided to hold off on more digging until after she had reacquainted herself with her estranged friends and her watcher. Assuming they were still alive. What if they had been killed while she was away? What if they had been hurt? What if…no…no, her mother would have made sure to break the news immediately if anything bad had happened to any of them. What if they hated her? What if they never wanted to talk to her again? _Those_ questions were closer to the truth of what she feared.

She had abandoned them when the thought of staying in Sunnydale became unbearable. They had a right to be angry with her, she knew, but she desperately hoped they would forgive her. Oh god how she hoped…

Apart from her mother, they were all she had now.

An hour later she found herself unpacking the last of her stuff in her room, dumping the last of the contents into her closet. It seemed as if it had been a lifetime ago since she had been in this place. It felt so familiar and yet…not; like she had been disconnected from it as she had everything else. Reaching into her closet she grabbed a sweater and headed towards her mother's room and the slight thumping emanating through the walls.

"Mom?" Buffy asked, stepping into the room and watching as her mother hammered a nail into the wall. At Buffy's question Joyce accidentally drove the hammer into the dry wall in startled surprise.

"Oh, Buffy!"

Buffy cringed at the sight of the dry wall but her mother smiled as she pulled the hammer out and turned to face her with one hand holding the hammer and the other holding some _hideous_ looking mask.

"Uhhm…' Joyce stammered.

"Sorry" Buffy said wincing as she did so.

"No, no. Don't worry about it. I-I guess I just got used to all the quiet while you were gone." She smiled reassuringly "But it's no problem."

Joyce adjusted the mask in her hand and turned it to hang it over the hole in the dry wall. Buffy's opinion of the mask, now that she had a clear view of it from the front, didn't change one iota. It was carved in some sort of reddish wood with cutouts for eyes, which were slanted inward and appeared very evil. There were a series of protruding teeth, much like fangs set in its upper jaw. There was no lower jaw.

She wanted to slay it instantly on the account of it being so hideous.

"Uh Look!" Joyce said as she hung the mask on the hook "It's Nigerian. We got a very exciting shipment at the gallery." Joyce glanced at the room with a slight smile. "I thought I'd hang a few pieces in here. It cheers up the room."

"It's angry at the room, Mom. It wants the room to suffer." Buffy replied as tactfully as she could. Thankfully it wasn't in _her_ room or she would have _had_ to slay it.

Joyce nodded. "You have no appreciation for primitive art." Joyce looked down and noticed that Buffy was holding her sweater. "You going out?"

Buffy looked at her sweater guiltily. "Oh. Um…well, Ii-if it's ok. I'd like to find Willow and Xander."

"Will you be slaying?" Joyce asked. And Buffy couldn't help but hear the slight hint of concern in her voice.

Buffy smiled weakly to reassure her, "Only if they give me lip." Buffy looked at the mask again, _or fangs in desperate need of an orthodontist._

"Uh, can I make you a sandwich or something before you go? You must be starving." Joyce asked.

"I was un-until that four course snack you served me after dinner," Buffy replied delicately. She hated the awkward tiptoeing they were doing around each other.

"Well then, um…you know, why don't I drive you? Uh, I mean they could be anywhere." Joyce said as she moved to her dresser to grab her keys.

"Mom…if you don't want me to go….just say so." Buffy sighed.

Joyce looked to her keys with a thin, tight smile. "No, no. I-I just want to put this whole thing behind us, get back to normal." Joyce inhaled deeply and Buffy could see that she was doing her best to maintain her composure and not break down again. "You go. Have a good time."

"Ok." Buffy said after an uncomfortable moment between them. They still had a lot of healing to do, but at least it was a start. Buffy smiled and simply gave her mother an awkward wave then she left the room and out of the house.

*********

The thing about Sunnydale was that the place had way_ too_ many alleyways, each one interconnected in series of mazes that crisscrossed the _entire_ town. It was just one of a few features about good ole Sunnyhell that no doubt made the town _very_ popular with its vampire and Demon community. One could literally walk from one end of town to the other without ever using a main road to get to ones destination.

Despite the fact that no one publicly admitted it, the population of Sunnydale rarely used these back alley roads during the day and almost never at night. All due to the things that went bump in the night that they just _knew_ that didn't exist yet avoided at all costs anyway. These back alleys were a world unto their own where the local Vampires and Demons resided without fear of discovery or persecution by the world at large. It was the dark underworld of Sunnydale that resided just beneath the surface of a thin veneer of beauty and peace of this quiet and pleasant town.

Someone walking these alleys during the dead of night was either very naïve, insanely stupid, had a death wish, or was simply up to no good of their own. Buffy Summers however fit into a very unique category, shared by an elite few, as she was one such person definitely up to the side of good. As she strolled through back alley after back alley she couldn't help but be amazed at the _lack_ of activity. During long nights of patrols she rarely failed to catch a number of Vampires or Demons up to _something_ and it was usually no good. If anything, she had expected the streets to be even more swamped with vamps since she had been gone.

But they weren't.

The dark beating heart of Sunnydale was _eerily_ quiet. And that, ironically, unnerved her more then what she expected to find, as she proceeded down one of many such alley ways heading to the Bronze on an initially haphazard, but now, full stop patrol.

Turning a corner, Buffy spied a man dressed in a long brown trench coat moving somewhat _too_ suspiciously for her tastes, as if he were searching for something…or someone. Quietly moving like the instinctive predator she was, Buffy silently began to follow the man and was about to spring and throw him against the brick wall to interrogate him, when he suddenly spun with _frightening_ speed and tried to plunge a stake into her Heart. Acting instantly herself, Buffy blocked the strike and twisted his wrist grappling the stake free, but her quarry –_a vampire; it had to be a vampire_-kicked her in the stomach with incredible force. Biting back the shock and pain Buffy fell back with the momentum of the strike into a summersault as she brought her legs up to connect with her assailants chin to shatter his jaw…and was completely mystified when she connected with_ nothing_.

Completing her summersault and regaining her footing-- and trying to regain her breath-- Buffy held the stake firmly in her hand and assumed a defensive stance. Her target straightened up and spun around to face her while at the same time expertly drawing a Katana from within his coat and assuming a high guard stance.

Buffy blinked as the shock of recognition hit her like a sledge hammer to the gut.

_Xander!?_

She hadn't recognized him at all. In fact, she barely recognized him now. He stood poised like a coiled spring ready to strike and Buffy couldn't help but come to the conclusion that he knew how to wield that sword, even though she had never seen him use one before.

As Xander stared at her, his remarkably intensely focused face softened as the light of recognition shone in his eyes. Eyes that suddenly had a _lot_ more strength in them then she ever remembered Xander having.

Buffy took the opportunity to study him while _he_ grappled with clearly conflicting emotions. Buffy couldn't help but notice his nicely broad chest and well toned body under that tight fitting shirt. In fact, it seemed as if Xander had gained about fifteen pounds. Upon further examination it was definitely fifteen pounds of rock solid _goodness!_ As Xander slowly lowered the sword to hang loosely at his side, she took the opportunity offered by the sudden awkward silence to study him intently. The clothes were just part of the change, she realized, what was more important was the way he wore them. The way he stood there, proud and strong, was definitely not something she associated with his character. And again she couldn't help but come back to his eyes. Deep hazel pools that always held love, compassion and mirth, now held strength and determination as well.

To Buffy it was if some great force had simply remolded Xander into something else. And while she definitely approved of the physical changes in his body she couldn't help but feel a slow building wariness at what these changes implied. Xander didn't exactly have a sterling track record in _that_ department. She was hoping against hope it wasn't what she was afraid of.

Realizing that Xander probably wasn't going to break the awkward silence between them Buffy decided to take charge of the situation.

"Didn't anyone ever teach you about playing with pointy sticks?" She shook the stake directly at him, "It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye."

"You shouldn't sneak up on people like that." Xander said in a deceptively calm and even tone that gave away no hint of a myriad of conflicting emotions battling for dominance within him. Finally, ever so slowly, he managed a weak, _genuine_ smile that was purely Xander which reassured her in way nothing else could.

_No Hyena…_

"Jeez, Buff!" Xander breathed; finally convinced she was actually standing in front of him!

"Xander, you're… you're--" Buffy struggled to express her thoughts.

"--Yeah." In a way that was purely Xander, he ran his fingers through his hair. "It's the trench coat isn't it? The Katana's pretty cool, but it's just a little too much with the coat."

"No no, the coat's good." Buffy paused. "Is that stubble?"

"I'm working the Snake Pliskin scruffy thing." Xander suddenly gazed at himself in horror. "Oh God, no! I'm broody dark mysterious guy in the alley. I'm Angel! Kill me now!"

Unfortunately for Xander he was so absorbed in the moment that when the Force screamed out a warning he was a _little_ slow to react. A vampire, the very one Xander had been zeroing in on in fact, burst out of a crate next to him and Buffy; knocking all three of them to the pavement and disarming them.

"I didn't mean literally!" Xander huffed in exasperation.

Xander recovered fastest, much to Buffy's surprise. Pushing aside all the emotions that seeing Buffy had caused, the young man obediently fell back on his training. With a speed and sense of control which had increased by the day, Xander's mind calmed as he centered himself in the Force.

With an agility and grace which took Buffy, still recovering, completely by surprise, Xander _moved._ His muscles contracted as he swung his knees up onto this chest, the movement shifting his center of gravity, lifting his lower back off the floor. The weight of his descending legs in return raised his upper torso, and pushing off strongly from the ground with pure upper body strength lifted him upwards and onto the soles of his feet. The whole movement had taken less than three seconds.

Stunned by its prey's instant recovery, the vamp hesitated for a split second, giving Xander the opening he was looking for. Xander's Force enhanced right hook connected firmly with his face spinning the vamp around---and right into a perfectly placed side kick by one very annoyed Slayer.

The vampire stumbled back from the blow, crashing loudly into a pile of trashcans and trash bags. His descent released a sickly smell of warm rubbish, for the day had been hot and the trashcan's contents had been heated by the sun. As the noise died away, Xander's radio crackled, making Buffy jump.

_"Come in, Nighthawk, everything Ok?"_ Cordelia's voice boomed from the Walkie Talkie Buffy suddenly realized was hanging on Xander's belt.

Buffy was completely taken aback, "Night Hawk?"

In that instant the vampire who had been garbaged, jumped back into the fight. It had recovered surprisingly quickly, detangling itself from the pile of rubbish, and in her distracted state it yet again caught Buffy by surprise. The charging attack, which missed Xander, threw her roughly to the ground next to a nearby dumpster…right to where another fledgling sprung out of nowhere. Buffy, whose back was hurting slightly from the impact with the rough concrete, was right at its feet.

Acting in the span of heartbeat Buffy swept her right leg out. The blow connected with the new vampire's ankles. As it fell backwards the stupid triumphant grin that had begun to form on its face changed to a grimace of agony. It crashed painfully to the ground, its head connecting with the edge of the nearby dumpster in a loud and painful sounding ***clang**.*

Using her momentum, and a fair amount of anger at being caught off guard twice in one night, Buffy spun on her knees and lashed out with her left foot. The blow connected with the vamp's face with a dull crack, as the reinforced tips of her boots broke his jaw. Completing her spin Buffy was up on her feet in flash, eyes scanning the floor of the alley for her dropped stake. Before she could spot it, and finish off the vampire who lay still dazed at her feet, she was distracted for the third time that night.

Xander and the first fledgling that had jumped them were squaring off, with the vampire between her and her friend. Xander, looking surprisingly calm and focused, was now holding his Katana. The gleaming silver blade shone in the light of the moon, as her dark haired friend swung it upwards into the ready position, holding it with a firm confident grip in that same high guard stance he had used earlier.

Wow. Once again she wondered when Xander had learned to use a sword, let alone hold one properly. Buffy blinked then as another thought occurred to her. _How did Xander get his sword back?_ They had both been violently disarmed when they were knocked to the ground, but while she was still searching for her stake, Xander had already recovered his weapon.

Momentarily spellbound, she watched as the fledgling grew tired of standing still and attacked. All brute force and savagery, but little skill, it charged the motionless figure of her friend attempting to tackle Xander to the ground. In a swirl of his coat, Xander spun gracefully out of the way. As his opponent stumbled past him, thrown off balance by the swift move, Xander lashed out with his katana with a massively powerful downward blow followed by a series of quick powerful strikes slicing into the fledglings back, practically dissecting the vampire, before a final strike severed the head from the body in the predictable explosion of dust.

Buffy was _seriously_ impressed.

A noise behind her made her turn, but unfortunately she was too late. Before the glowing dust motes of Xander's defeated opponent had even settled upon the ground, she was slammed painfully into the nearby brick wall, as the vamp she had failed to stake attacked. Disarmed and unaware of her surroundings, she proved an easy target even for her wounded enemy.

The shock of her head bouncing off the wall hurt like hell, dazing her, but she still acted instinctively. Anticipating an attack, she dropped to her knees and even though her vision was still blurry she kicked out at where she expected the vampire's ankles to be, where her slayer sense told her his ankles should be. Her feet connected only with air. Tensed for an impact which never occurred she miscalculated and fell back against the wall. Yet again her head impacted painfully with the bricks, and even though the blow was far less serious than before it still made her eyes water. Wincing, she shook her head trying to clear her blurred vision. The movement made her head hurt, but it worked. The sight that greeted her restored vision however made her wonder if she had hit her head a little harder then she thought.

Willow and Cordelia had appeared, as if by magic… or blunt force trauma, and apparently dragged the vampire away from her. As surprised as she was by their sudden appearance she watched as the pair, holding the wounded fledgling by each arm, ran him backwards away from her, using their momentum to hurl him against the chain link fence. It crashed into the stiff metal links with a cry of pain, bouncing forwards from the impact and falling to its knees at the base of the fence.

As Buffy watched, still a little dazed but rallying swiftly, Willow produced a stake while Cordelia produced her stun gun. After a quick glance the pair charged as one, attacking the already recovering vampire from different directions to divide his attention between them. Sure enough, the vamp instinctively concentrated his attention on the stake in Willow's hand, apparently blind to or ignoring the threat of Cordelia and her stun gun.

The vampire, its broken jaw still flapping open uncontrollably from Buffy's earlier assault, grabbed Willow by the shirt and tossed her aside, apparently just as they had hoped he would, leaving Cordelia an opening to…

***Snapbuzzzz***

Cordelia activated her stun gun right into the vampire's rib cage, pushing him backwards. The fang face spasmed uncontrollably against the fence for a few moments before Cordelia pocketed her stun gun. Smoking slightly, the vampire groggily tried to reach out for her to steady itself but Cordelia grabbed him by the wrist. In a graceful move which justified her position on the Cheerleading squad, she locked his arm, spun towards him, threw her hip into him and flung him roughly to the ground on his back with surprising strength. There was a harsh _crack_ of bone as something in the demon's body broke from the impact with the concrete of the alley floor.

Straitening up Cordelia looked her way and beamed brightly in recognition. "Hey Buffy!" Then she went right back to work laying into the vampire just as Buffy felt Xanders comforting presence come up behind her.

"Any time Willow!" Cordelia snapped, as one of her expensive clad legs connected with the Vampire's already broken jaw. It snarled in agony, but was apparently immobilized.

Willow rose to her knees and plunged the stake into the vamps chest dusting it instantly.

"That's all of them, isn't it?" Willow asked as she rose to her feet.

"Oz said there were three of them but I don't see the other one anywhere." Cordelia actually scoffed in disappointment.

Buffy, who had finally recovered her stake from where it had rolled under a bin, was trying to wrap her brain around what she was seeing. Her friends had dusted not one but two vampires, by themselves! To say she was amazed was a bit of an understatement. Her mind just kept working in small circles at the thought of her friends, who, when last she saw them, could barely managed to handle one vampire, and now could handle two with relative ease.

She was about to say as much but suddenly caught a hint of movement in her peripheral vision behind Xander. Acting fast and instinctively she shoved Xander aside and brought her stake up to throw at the charging vamp when suddenly a crossbow bolt slammed into his chest and he exploded into dust.

Snapping around and looking up Buffy saw Oz on the roof of one of the buildings overlooking the alley; he waved once to Buffy then pulled up his Walkie Talkie.

_"Told you there were three of them."_ His voice resonated from the Walkie Talkies each of the Scooby gang had.

Cordelia shrugged and simply nodded while Xander motioned for Oz to come down. Oz nodded then disappeared from sight only to reappear a few moments later with a reloaded crossbow just as Cordelia and Willow finished dusting themselves off.

Buffy didn't know what to think and just simply watched in amazement and feeling slightly left out, and hurt. For it seemed as good as they had become, they didn't seem to need her anymore, as they checked each other for injuries with a skill and practiced ease that clearly indicated they'd been at this for a while. Confident they were all ok they turned as one to face her.

Buffy smiled sheepishly. "Hey, guys."

**************

**Somewhere in Mexico…**

He didn't need to breathe, so when he drew in a long breath and exhaled it the action did nothing to enhance his calm, though it did serve very nicely to express his frustration.

"I like to try new things, I like to check stuff out, go over that next hill, you know? I ain't some poncy explorer like, but I like getting out there and enjoying the world and the people in it."

He dropped the still warm body he was holding, the dark eyes still open but glassy, bereft of life.

"Especially the people in it." He smiled briefly with blood stained lips until his frown returned. "But I tell you this, there's only so much Mexican food a man can live with!"

Spike tilted his bleached head and slipped out of his game face.

"Except presumably Mexicans, but even that's a little suspect."

He walked away from the shack and the three former occupants who lay motionless within, digging a bottle of Bourbon from his long leather coat, the glass glinting in the moonlight.

"Yeah it's fine for a bit, and I kinda like the culture down here, the history. But I think I've had it with the food."

He took a swig from the bottle.

"Is there anything that ain't spicy? It gets in the blood and it's too much!"

"You're far from home." The haunting melodic voice of his companion spoke, so gentle and delicate it served as a striking contrast to the often vicious monster who owned it. "My Spike, long road to walk on, lots of bends."

"Granted my tastes are pretty run of the mill, I don't care much for fanciness," Spike allowed. "I'm more for the moment, getting there is all the fun. And granted I grew up in Victorian London, not known for its cuisine."

"I ate a Tiger once. It purred the whole time," Dru said. Whether in agreement or just to herself was _anyone's_ guess.

"Okay, great, but I figure what I'm trying to say is when can we get the bleeding hell out of this place?"

The apparition turned to him, her charcoal hair and pale skin striking in the moonlight.

"Right now."

Spike frowned. "Okay, I admit I was expecting to do some convincing first."

Drusilla rolled her head playfully. "I want to go home now. Take me back."

"Now you're talking, I was looking at ships back home, got a nice freighter heading for Plymouth tomorrow, we can still make it and be in London by the end of the month."

"Not that home Spike, the other one."

"Eh?"

"The Hellmouth."

"Oh, Sunny hell… oh, right, except we said we weren't going back. Ever. And I'm still not sure I like what I'm hearing about in those soddin visions of yours."

"Things have changed."

"So you aren't still upset about the whole, you know, deal thing?"

Dru smiled. "So easily turned, pretty head, pretty head, easily turned."

"What? It was business," Spike grunted. "And making Angelus look like a prat."

"You wanted him dead, gone away."

"It's been an ambition of mine for a while." Spike shrugged. "So why this change of plan?"

"The circus is coming to town, and we're missing the carnival."

Spike tore some fabric from one of the bodies.

"I'm guessing you're being metaphorical here pet."

"Everything is lights, twinkling burning lights, circles and circles stretching and combining."

"Like a slinky?" Spike asked. "No, not like a slinky."

"It's chaos, violence, a rampage and we're going to miss it."

"Can't have that." He took another swig then stuffed the fabric in the neck of the bottle. He held the bottle in one hand, gazing at its remaining contents mournfully, then lit the fabric stuffed into its neck with his silver lighter. "I love a good rampage."

He absently threw the bottle into the shack. It smashed against a wall, the tinkle of the broken glass lost in the ***WHOOMPH*** as the contents ignited. Liquid fire exploded out into the room. Spike turned away from the gathering flames.

"It's all starting, all because of _him_."

"Who's that then?" Spike leant against a boulder. "Who do I thank for this smash and grab bonanza?" he queried, hands shoved deep into his pockets against the cold of the night.

"Chaos, bringer of chaos, impulse, death on a whim, black passion and murder."

"Does he have a shorter name? In case I need to write it on a card?"

Dru turned to him. "You'll see. We all will."

She smiled up at the moon. Behind her, the flames licked at the dry roof timbers of the shack, the growing inferno beginning to consume the evidence of their snack.

"The Savage, he just arrived."

* * *

**Somewhere in California…**

The five bikes roared off the highway and stopped at the bar, a dingy battered place that served anyone who traveled this out of the way road. Their clients weren't exactly the bedrock of society; mostly they were hard bitten biker gangs, neo Nazis and an assortment of criminals and scumbags who made most prisons look tame. The police didn't stop here, even truckers didn't stop here. Only those looking for trouble passed its doors.

The five bikes halted, the throaty engines stopping as the riders got off, each a hefty mass of scuffed leather and chains. Three were human, massive bearded men with tattoos and Nazi helmets, the others were yellow skinned demons with red eyes, pointed ears and razor sharp teeth.

"Hey, give me a minute," one of the humans grunted. "I gotta take a piss."

He headed towards the bushes over the road.

"There's a crapper inside!"

"In that place?" He called back. "I ain't that crazy!"

The other bikers laughed as he disappeared, giving their riding partner a few moments to put himself in order before they joined the rest of the gang. They were only waiting seconds before there was a burst of light from the bushes over the road, several bolts of electrical lightning shooting out and starting a few smile fires.

"Whoa, what the hell?" A biker gritted. "Flayer, dude, you alright?"

There was no answer.

"Hey Flayer, did you piss on a power line? You dumb asshole!"

There was still no answer.

"Maybe we should check on him."

"He's just joking with us."

"It ain't funny. Razor, get the gun."

Suddenly the bushes moved and a figure appeared in the shadows walking purposefully towards them.

"Flayer?"

The man approaching them was very different, clean shaven but just as large, his face unflinching and grim, short spiked hair sitting on his head. He was wearing biker gear too, very familiar gear.

"Hey, that's Flayers jacket!" Razor yelled. "Where's Flayer!"

The man ignored them, moving to walk past them to the bar.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!"

The new arrival stopped, sharply turning his head to fix the demon biker with an impassive stare.

"Good, now where did you get that jacket?"

The arrival spoke in a deep even European accent.

"I took it from a dead body."

"Dead? Flayer's dead?"

"Affirmative."

"How?"

"I crushed his neck with my left hand."

The four remaining bikers went very quiet, the silence broken by the click of a gun being cocked.

"Then you just made a big mistake."

"No," the Arrival said flatly. "You did."

Razor swung up his handgun, but too slow. With inhuman speed the new man grabbed his wrist and effortlessly broke it, dropping the gun to the ground and Razor screaming with it. The three other bikers rushed him but with no effect, their combined weight not even shaking the arrival. He backhanded one hard enough to launch him ten feet, punched the second in the neck sending him choking to the floor, and then jammed his hand through the chest of the third, literally squeezing his heart to jelly.

The fight took seconds, leaving the arrival standing just as calm as before, but now surrounded by dead bodies.

"Wha- What are you?" Razor squealed.

"I need your motorcycle."

"Take it!"

"And your shades."

"Okay!"

"And more weapons."

"Inside." He pointed at the bar. "Everyone packs!"

The arrival walked straight into the bar, the door closing behind him as Razor struggled to his feet. There was no sound from the bar; he would have expected to hear shouts by now, screams, even gunshots. But there was nothing. It didn't really matter; this was no place to hang around. He fumbled for his keys, wincing at the pain in his wrist as he sat on his bike, racing to start the engine.

Without warning the door burst open, a body flying out and hitting the dirt with a thud. It was leather clad, and to Razor's surprise was in fact the new arrival. It had been battered and bloodied, some form of demon golem maybe, he didn't look too closely, he just fumbled with the keys.

"Come on! Come on!"

The broken doors to the bar fell off their hinges as a new figure emerged, a shape even larger than the arrival. Even in his fear Razor stopped, the appearance of the man in the door freezing him in shock.

He wore some form of horrific armor, an assortment of bones overlaying armor plating, skulls decorating his shoulders with one particularly fierce skull serving as a helmet, jagged teeth framing the burning eyes of the warrior. He carried a long blood wet sword and through the door Razor could see an image of utter slaughter, the entire bar painted in blood. Whatever this new man had wanted he was too late, this warrior had already wiped out the most vicious bar in the state, apparently single handed. Now he advanced on the arrival, laying flat on the ground.

"Next time…" The warrior spoke in a voice like hot coals scraping in a furnace. "…Say please."

He jammed the sword through the chest of the Arrival, twisting the blade and then lifting it up, hauling the dying creature up from the floor and holding it speared on his sword.

"No challenge," the warrior sneered, and then tossed the body aside. As he did so his eyes fell on Razor.

"Start!" He twisted the keys. "Start!" Razor murmured to himself, feeling the icy cold fingers of terror gripping his heart, squeezing it.

"Not yet weasel." The Warrior stepped in front of the biker demon. "You have one chance to live. Where am I?"

"Ca…Ca...Cal…California." The demon squeaked

"Ah, the New World," grinned the fearsome warrior. "And where do those of power go in California? Where is the heart of power, the place of the Gathering?"

"I…I… I think the Hellmouth."

"Hellmouth." He sneered. "Sounds like my kind of place. Where?"

"Sunnydale, down that road." Razor pointed with his useless hand.

"Well done. Now go away." The Warrior turned his back, picking out a suitable motorcycle. "And worm!"

"Wh-what?"

"Wherever you go, whomever you speak with, tell them of me, tell them I am here and I will tolerate no rivals!"

"Okay."

The Warrior broke a vicious grin. "Tell them the Kurgan has returned!"

"The Kurgan, right, Kurgan."

"No rivals!" He raised his bloody sword with a laugh. "There can be, **ONLY ONE!"** he roared then he sped off on the bike disappearing into the night, the echo of his cackling haunting the dark.

**************

"You know, I-maybe it's too late. Maybe we should just come back tomorrow." Buffy said. She surveyed the building in front of her with visible anxiety. An outsider, let alone anyone aware of Buffy's fearsome reputation, would have been mildly perplexed at her reaction. The building itself, a well kept bungalow with a neat garden, fresh paint, cheerfully illuminated curtained windows and a polished door knocker, could never be remotely intimidating. Her friends knew better. It was not the building which had Buffy spooked but the individual who dwelled within.

Buffy stood across the street, her typical bravado completely absent. She eyed the home of the man whom had come slowly to replace her father. During the walk across town, she had for a while managed to forget the events of the past months. She had immersed herself in her friends company, taking comfort from their presence, their obvious pleasure and affection for her. She had fought hard to hold in her obvious questions. The changes among her friends were obvious and numerous. She longed to ask what had happened, but hadn't dared. By mutual and unspoken agreement, none of them had discussed the events leading to and since her abandonment of them. Neither had any of them voiced any of their feelings about her actions. Clearly neither side wanted too, preferring to stick to safe neutral topics like the weather, gossip or shopping.

Now though the issues they had been content to bury rose again, heavy on their minds, none more heavily than for Buffy. Her earlier nerves had returned full force. Despite the fact that her meeting up with her friends had seemed mostly positive she was still apprehensive about _this_ reunion. When the others said nothing or gave no signs of following her suggestion her apprehension only increased.

Buffy wasn't a coward. She had faced horrors that would have made other brave souls gibber in sheer terror before barricading themselves into their houses and never coming out for the rest of their lives. But as she crossed the quiet street, and walked up the short concrete path between neatly mown lawns, she was as close to sheer panic as she had ever been.

She paused just at the threshold. The glazed window set in the stout door glowed welcomingly, but the cheerful light did nothing for Buffy. She stood there for a few moments, aware of the silent figures of her friends behind her, watching her intently.

"What if he's mad?" Buffy finally gave voice to her inner turmoil, somewhat understatedly.

"Mad? Just because you ran away and abandoned your post and your friends and your mom and made him lay awake every night worrying about you?" Xander turned to Oz and Willow somewhat nervously. "Maybe we should wait here."

Buffy gave him an annoyed look that hid the sharp sting of that comment before she turned toward the door and knocked the taps a few times…lightly. Visible through the colored glass, she saw an indistinct figure appear in the hallway and approach the door. Audible even from the thick wood there came the sound of heavy bolts being pulled back.

Giles pulled open the door. As it swung inwards, his wary gaze fell upon the small figure on his doorstep. He saw Buffy, and she saw his familiar eyes widen. His gaze rested upon her for several priceless seconds, then moved beyond her to the three silent figures of her friends, standing a little way back. Those intelligent eyes surveyed them briefly, registered their mixed expressions and lack of life-threatening wounds, then returned to Buffy. She gazed up at him, a neat figure in a dressing gown and slippers, and her heart pounded in a potent mixture of nerves and affection. He looked tired, but there was a light of emotion in his eyes which she could not decipher. Otherwise, aside from his initial flash of surprise, the Englishman's face remained completely impassive, despite the wellspring of conflicting emotions bubbling within him.

Xander as usual, was quick to point out the obvious. His words broke the silence, shattering the strange spell that had come over all of them.

"Check it out. The Watcher is back on the clock. And just when you were thinking career change, maybe becoming a…a looker or a…a seer."

Thank you, Xander," Giles said as he slipped on his glasses

Giles looked intently at his Slayer. "Welcome home, Buffy." His eyes were on hers, and in them she saw something which made her nerves subside slightly.

Buffy smiled hesitantly up at him as Giles pulled the door open further and stepped back to allow them all entrance.

*********

Buffy, somewhat hesitantly, sank down into one of Giles's big leather armchairs. Her friends, by silent agreement, left her and Giles alone together. Instead they invaded Giles's kitchen, scouring the Watcher's cupboards to round up snacks. As the hurried back into the room, toting various plates, bowls and jugs, they caught up with the conversation.

Giles was seated in his own chair, hands in his lap, listening to Buffy. They noticed she looked less nervous, but still seemed very small in the depths of her chair. Giles also looked unsure, although that might have been because he was still recovering from Buffy's sudden arrival. They were talking though, and it soon became clear that Xander, Willow, Oz and Cordelia hadn't missed much.

"I got in a few hours ago, but I wanted to go see my mom first."

Buffy looked up briefly as her friends entered, then looked back to Giles. As unobtrusively as possible, well, as was possible with several plates of snacks, a jug and several glasses, the four friends found seats around the room.

"Yes. Yes, of course. How did you find her?" Giles asked

"Well, I pretty much remembered the address," Buffy replied.

"Ah, eh. I mean, uh, how are things between you?" Giles floundered. He got up. "Ah. Excuse me for a moment."

Not looking at Buffy, he walked into the kitchen, aware that everyone was looking at him. Once around the corner and out of sight he leant wearily against the counter. His emotions threatened to overwhelm him. It felt so good to hear her voice. Trying desperately to regain his composure, he lifted the kettle off its housing and began to fill it with water. The water gurgled in the jug, which it rapidly began to fill up, but he didn't notice. Distracted by his churning emotions, It was only when it had almost reached the top and was about to overflow that he realized and hurriedly turned off the tap.

He hadn't realized just how glad he was that she was back. His Slayer, He had missed her terribly, much like a father would miss his…no. No he couldn't allow himself to think that. He had to maintain some professionalism between them. Taking his time, he lifted the kettle out of the sink, placing it on its mounting and set the water to boil. He moved about the kitchen, collecting mugs, milk, sugar and other tea-making related paraphernalia, trying to get a grip on his racing emotions and think about what would happen now.

Next door, after the silence that had fallen at Giles's hurried exit, her friends started to talk quietly.

"Hey, so you're not wanted for murder anymore," Oz informed Buffy. The werewolf, who had his arm across Willow's shoulders, was perched on the arm of the sofa, which Willow and Xander had taken early so as to be near to Buffy.

"Good. That was such a drag," Buffy replied dryly.

"So where were you? Did you go to Belgium?" Xander asked, trying to go for a light tone despite the fact he wanted to ask far more serious questions.

"Why would I go to Belgium?" Buffy asked with a smile.

"I think the relevant question is why wouldn't you? Belgium!" Xander smiled hugely eliciting a laugh from Buffy. Man it felt good to hear her laugh.

"What about you, Xander? What's up with you? Where did you learn to use a sword like that?" Buffy asked as the events from earlier in the evening came back in all their detail.

Xander seemed to hesitate slightly which Buffy found slightly weird.

"Oh you know, same old, same old. Dustin' vamps and the like," Xander said. For some reason he couldn't explain he didn't exactly feel comfortable going into any details just yet that involved Anakin, he didn't understand why.

Silently Xander berated himself for his earlier mistake. He had known it wasn't a vampire that had been stalking him. Vamps were pretty easy to detect once you got used to observing the walking hole in the Force. But how could he _not_ have known what Buffy felt like? He railed against himself for his failure to identify her and nearly killing her, which was something he wasn't sure he would have been able to live with. The thought made him struggle to hold his center.

And then the rational part of his mind caught up with him. It was because he had never _felt_ a Slayer before. Despite having known Buffy for almost two years, he had never truly felt her in the Force before. Looking at her as she chatted away with Willow and Cordelia Xander couldn't help but be slightly disturbed by the dark predatory nature of the Slayer inside her. Not demonic, he recognized, but more primal, much like the Hyena spirit that had possessed him nearly two years ago, yet she maintained control. Buffy, the beautiful, bright, and _radiant_ girl who had such a phenomenal impact on his life, could have such a dark primal nature just beneath the surface. It totally boggled his mind. How did she do it? Xander wondered and he definitely looked forward to asking her sometime in the future. But for now he just filed it away as part of the many things about Buffy that simply amazed him.

"Hardly," Cordelia scoffed. "It was summer boot camp with all the daily training and the nightly slaying. I tell you, life here took on a dangerous yet monotonous routine."

"Okay, I lied, a whole lot is new," Xander said. Yet again he didn't exactly know how to breach the subject of Anakin Skywalker to Buffy. How would she react? For the past several months the one hope of the Scoobs was that Buffy would return. Now that she had returned, no one knew exactly how to breach the subject of Anakin. Giles was eerily quiet on the matter, Willow kept glancing nervously to him, and Oz was his usual noncommittal self. In a way Xander felt as if he'd been put on the spot. In some way, some small way, it felt as if he hadn't stayed true to her.

Because a small part of Xander never actually believed that she would ever come home and he needed to accept that and move on. But these fears hid a much deeper fear they all shared. That Buffy only came home because she realized she was needed. If Buffy were to learn that there was someone new in town who did her job just as well as she did, she might bolt again. Despite the sudden, unexpected and surprising awkward tension between them all, none of the people in the room wanted to lose her again. But no one knew exactly _how_ to say that. Xander, for all his new insights the Force offered him didn't exactly know how to broach it either. But it did give him awareness he otherwise wouldn't have, so he'd patiently wait for the opportunity to present itself.

"Here we are then," Giles said stepping from the kitchen as he set the tray down on the coffee table. "Cheer us up."

Buffy and Xander took some cookies while Giles reached for a teapot on the tray.

"So, were you, like, living in a box, or what?" Cordelia asked bluntly the one question they'd all been trying to ease into. Leave it to Cordelia to get to the heart of the matter. Yet, oddly, even she too seemed to be somewhat avoiding the subject of Anakin Skywalker…so far. Xander could only wonder how long that would last.

"Well…it's a long story," Buffy began delicately.

"Well, we're your friends, you can tell us," Xander replied.

"Yeah Buffy you can tell us," Willow echoed Xander's sentiments.

Giles poured several cups from the kettle. "Perhaps Buffy could use a little time to adjust before we grill her on her activities over the summer."

"What he said," Buffy quickly agreed, emphatically.

"Fair enough," Xander relented "In fact you can leave the slaying to us while you settle in. We got you covered."

"I noticed." Buffy nodded slowly with a distant look on her face as she recalled the fight in the alley way. "I _really_ noticed. You guys did really great back there."

"We've dusted over twenty vamps these past two weeks alone!" Willow chirped excited.

"A-Team style," Oz smirked. He put his hand over Willow's and rubbed it gently.

"When I went out looking for you guys I noticed the streets were really quiet, it's like something seriously spooked the Vampire population. Was that you guys?"

"Kicking a little undead booty," Xander said with evident pride.

"Yeah but the outfits suck. This whole Rambo thing is so over. I'm thinking something more sporty, like Hilfiger maybe. I'll be sure to bring it up with Anakin tomorrow." Cordelia related as she _ever_ so subtly dropped the bomb. Every member of the Scoobies, minus Buffy, snapped their heads around and glared at Cordelia.

Buffy noticed their reactions then looked to Cordelia in confusion. "Who?"

Everyone shifted uncomfortably while Giles cleared his throat. "There have been some…developments while you have been away Buffy," Giles began.

Buffy leaned forward with a look of determination on her face. "Like big brewing evil?"

"After a fashion," Willow murmured just a little too loudly. Giles directed a pointed glare towards her which caused Willow to look away. The other Scoobies looked as if they were getting very uncomfortable with the direction this conversation had just taken. Of course no one was surprised it had been Cordelia's doing. But Buffy clearly took the hint that something was going on that she needed to know about.

"Okay, what is going on?" Buffy demanded. She was getting tired of the sudden awkward tension. "Who is this akimbo guy?"

"Anakin," Xander corrected his voice carrying a little more of an edge to it then he intended which caused Buffy to recoil slightly as if she'd been slapped.

"That's a rather interesting and…a… complicated story in of itself Buffy," Giles began.

"Yeah right," Cordelia scoffed. "Well apparently he comes from a galaxy far far away, and has super funky powers called 'The Force'. He showed up a week after you left us, and saved these losers over here from being vamp food." Cordelia motioned toward the other Scoobies. "He's been hunting the vampires of Sunnydale day and night ever since. That's why the streets have been so quiet; they're _terrified_ of the guy. And he's the one who trained us up to be a badass demon hunter team. All while you were living it up in Los Angeles. And what's with that dress sense of his? Despite my best efforts you would have thought Angel was the _only_ one who dressed tall dark and depressing….and oh… I probably _shouldn't_ have said any of this, should I?"

"Apparently not that complicated," Oz quipped.

Xander grimaced. "Way to ease her into it Cordy."

Buffy looked to each of their faces in turn. "You guys weren't going to mention this?"

"We were going to tell you Buffy." Giles said quickly "But we didn't exactly know how to broach the topic gently." Giles directed a patronizing glare to Cordelia who shrugged apologetically. He added gently, "You have also only just arrived."

"We wanted to give you some time and space, Buffy. We know you've been through a lot," Willow said.

"Besides there was no way you weren't going to learn about the guy anyway. The kind of waves he makes would have made that impossible," Xander quickly added. "So take a few days and slowly settle back into things, Buffy, we can handle it for a while."

Buffy smiled warmly at Xander. "Thank you for the offer Xander, but I can't. I just want to get back into the normal routine; school, slaying…kid stuff. And right now that means getting to know our new friend who's clearly made an impression. Where can I find him?"

"Tonight?" Willow asked in surprise.

"No time like the present." Buffy smiled forcefully.

Xander nodded. "Well, once we had finished our sweep near the Bronze we were going to meet up with him near the Espresso Pump. Depending on vamp activity tonight we were going to do a sweep of Kingman's Cemetery before calling it a night." Xander looked at his watch. "In fact if we leave now we can still make our linkup time." Xander said, rising from his seat next to Buffy and grabbing his sword. The others also stood and grabbed their nearby weapons and like a well oiled machine began to conduct checks of their primary and backup weapons, equipment and each other.

"No," Buffy said forcefully, rising to her feet quickly. It stopped them in their tracks. "You guys have done enough. Its time I started pulling my weight again. I got it from here. You all go home."

Willow was surprisingly the first to protest. "Um, Buffy I don't think that's such a good idea. I mean we have mean fighting skills now, and we're good, really good! And like Anakin said no one should ever slay alone!" Willow babbled then blinked. "Did I just quote him?"

"More like common sense," Oz smoothly directed.

"Look, guys, I'm fine, really. I don't need you to babysit me. I can handle this. What does he look like?"

"Hot, strong silent type, mysterious…right up _your_ alley," Cordelia murmured not so quietly.

Buffy rolled her eyes then looked directly to Willow. "Willow?"

"Tall, blonde, muscular and hot…with just a touch of Angel like darkness and danger…." Willow flushed red and went quiet as she saw that _every_ set of eyes turned towards her in amusement. "What? I never said he wasn't good looking and I'm ah…ah…"Willow turned to Oz with puppy dog eyes pleading for him to save her. Oz smiled reassuringly to Willow and wrapped an arm around her middle and drew her close.

Cordelia sighed. "Just get there before eleven and look for the GQ model guy. You'll know him when you see him."

_Or he'll know you when he sees you,_ Xander wondered to himself. Yet again he thought back to the darkness he had felt inside Buffy; the primal nature of the Slayer sprit. Anakin would know instantly the moment she came close. In fact, if Xander had to guess, Anakin was probably _already_ aware of Buffy's presence within Sunnydale. His mastery of the Force far surpassed Xander's own.

"Got it" Buffy said. "Look guys, are you all doing anything tomorrow? I'm jonesing for a little brainless fun" Buffy asked.

Xander grimaced internally; He had training with Anakin after school and plans with Cordelia later on that night. "Oh, I would, but um I'm gonna be kinda tied up." Xander smiled and motioned to Cordelia behind him.

Cordelia moved behind him and wrapped her arms around his abs while standing on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear. "Keep it up _Nighthawk_ and I just might just keep you there. You sexy beast." Cordelia whispered naughtily with a wicked gleam in her eyes. Again her comment, which was supposed to be only for him, was just loud enough to be heard by the group; who were all doing good jobs of trying to look anywhere but at the happy couple. Either that or trying not to vomit. Xander had the biggest grin on his face. Giles was blushing.

Buffy hurriedly turned toward Willow "Will?"

"Um, tomorrow I-"

"Oh come on. Friends don't let friends browse alone," Buffy pleaded.

"Okay. I had some school work, but…I can change my plans."

Giles raised his cup as a thought occurred to him. "As for school, Buffy, You know you'll have to talk to Principal Snyder—"

"On it." Buffy nodded. "Mom is making an appointment with his ugliness. I know she can break him." Buffy looked to the clock on the mantle. "And on that note I should be going. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Buffy smiled and then she was gone. Her untouched tea still resting on the tray, steaming gently. Her friends staring at the door as it closed behind her.

*********

Buffy made good time on her trek to the Espresso Pump coffee shop, easily dusting two vamps along the way that she had baited into attacking her. Either Vamps just had bad memories, or they were newly sired, for they hadn't recognized her and proved little challenge. As she neared her destination she could feel the butterflies in her stomach flair in nervous anticipation. Moving through Sunnydale's streets with the deadly natural grace of a panther, she kept wondering who this new guy was. What was he and why he was here - that had so ingrained himself into _her_ group of friends. According to Cordelia he had saved their lives when they had been attacked by a group of vampires.

Yet one more thing that could be thrown at her feet. Their lives put in danger by her inability to deal.

But this new guy had dealt with the vamps and he was _still_ dealing with them. That said something about the guy, he was strong and he was committed to the fight.

Two points in his favor.

Another thing that her friends had mentioned was the fact that he had trained them up. And he had done it very well too. Buffy clearly recalled the incredible coordination and teamwork her friends had utilized when they had taken down three vampires. That said something else about him; he was well trained in small unit tactics.

Buffy however, wasn't sure if she would put this one in his favor or not. She definitely didn't like the idea of her friends slaying. She was the 'Chosen One'; she was the one fated to face these horrors. She was the one who didn't have a choice. This was her mission, her calling. Why did they always insist on needlessly putting their lives in danger? Well, now that she was back that would end. She would make sure of it.

So she didn't know exactly what to think about this guy based on what her friends had told her.

Then there were the other things she had heard from her _less_ reputable sources.

On a hunch she had decided to check a source of information she otherwise would not have considered so soon. 'Accidentally' taking an alley to bait 'another' two vamps she had noticed loitering in the shadows, she had interrogated them rigorously before staking them. It hadn't taken much. 'These' two vampires knew her, or knew of her anyway, and had spilled the beans as soon as she threatened to peg them out in sunlight rather than dust them quickly. Their info pretty much matched what Cordelia had said about the local vamps being terrified of the guy. But what Cordelia didn't mention and what the vampires had so freely babbled on about was stories of what this guy had done. Stories of him _singlehandedly_ clearing out entire nests by himself!

That wasn't something that even she had ever tried to do. Attacking vamps in their nest ran the risk of the Slayer being overwhelmed, which was why the tactic was seriously discouraged. Unless the Slayer had support. Armed with a stake and facing four to one odds would more than likely end in the Slayer's favor. Buffy was confident that she could handle six vamps but not without some difficulty. But in Sunnydale, jumping headlong into a Vamp nest usually ran the risk of facing eight to one odds…or worse, in close quarters and confined spaces. That was why Buffy tended to use divide and conquer tactics, methodically picking off the vamps a few at a time until the nest of vamps had been cleared. Not singlehandedly and _recklessly_ rushing into their nest head on!

The vamps spoke in hushed whispers of his relentless pursuit of them night and day. _Horrified_ whispers that they couldn't even lay a hand on the guy…which was more than a little impressive…and enough to irk her competitive spirit. But these tales bordered on paranoid ghost stories one told about a boogie man. It made their authenticity…suspect.

But the vamps had mentioned one little thing that caught her attention. Torture…

The thought disturbed her but at the same time she decided she'd reserve judgment until she met the guy and got a feel for him.

As she came within sight of the Espresso Pump she slowed. She could see the lights of the coffee shop at the end of the street. Unusually for Sunnydale, the coffee shop was a 24 hour establishment. More than once its staff or customers had fallen victim to the town's darker inhabitants yet in true Sunnydale style the business remained open, regardless of the attractive target it offered to demons and vampires. As such, it was on her regular patrol route, where she herself preyed on those who preyed on weaker prey.

As she walked towards it, scanning as a matter of course the shadows and side alleys for potential threats or suspicious couples, she could feel her heart thumping in her throat in nervous anticipation. As she walked stealthily along the sidewalk towards the shop, keeping to the shadows herself, she checked her back pocket under her sweater to make sure her stake was still there. About a hundred feet short of the building; she slipped from the shadows, and walked slowly and confidently towards the coffee shop.

At her approach, various heads swiveled to gaze at her, in one case literally. Immediately several figures rose and hurried from their seats. She surveyed each of them intently, recognizing a number of fairly innocent but still dangerous demons who she had encountered in the past. On the surface they all looked human, and none of them to her knowledge had ever progressed beyond the occasional burglary. Still, they obviously were wary of her, and she was comforted that despite her absence she was still clearly respected. She also knew that her return would be all over town by morning, for these were the movers and shakers of Sunnydale's demonic criminal community.

Feigning casual interest Buffy slowly walked through the open veranda, studying each of the remaining faces intently. There were at least a dozen patrons left but none seemed to match the description she had been given. Walking to the sidewalk she looked both ways down the street in case this 'Anakin' had not yet arrived. There were a few approaching figures, but none of them seemed to match the description she'd been given.

Buffy sighed. Nothing.

No one either who seemed out of place or even giving her a second glance….except for that creepy old guy spending way too much time checking out her ass. Ewww!!! Neither were her Slayer senses telling her anything, but then those had never been as acute as she had wished.

But other than that there was just a whole lot of nothing.

Buffy couldn't help but be disappointed and was just about to leave to patrol the nearby Kingman's cemetery, when those same aforementioned Slayer senses bristled at some presence nearby. At the same instant she realized by more conventional means, via the distorted reflection in a nearby mirror, that there was someone standing behind her.

"_You_ must be Buffy." A strong, even and decidedly masculine voice emanated from behind her.

Buffy turned slowly. She blinked as she came face to face with a man in front of her.

When Cordelia and Willow said the guy was a hottie it hadn't really registered with her. But as Buffy took in the sight of the man before her she had to take a moment to catch her breath; which had suddenly caught in her throat. He was tall, with shoulder length blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Dressed from head to foot in dark clothes, he had a rugged but fashionable appearance in which Buffy detected Cordelia's fashion dictatorship.

He was also in good physical shape Buffy noticed. His clothes, while not skintight, hinted at lean, nicely defined muscles that weren't obscenely large, but spoke of practical, functional strength. He stood with his hands at his sides and palms held up, to show he had no weapon and meant no harm. It didn't quite work to put her at ease. Her instincts were screaming at her that weapon or not, this man could prove quite deadly.

There was something else about him too. Something intangible, subtle, but the thing which had made her Slayer side bristle.

Power.

She could feel it emanating from him; like residual heat radiating off of concrete after a hot summers day. It was barely perceptible but enough to tickle her senses. It kept her on guard and made her regard this new man cautiously.

"I am," Buffy responded after a moment.

"I know. Your friends speak very highly of you. The stories they tell of you are so precise you could not have been anyone else," Anakin said.

"And they've told me…almost nothing about you," Buffy replied.

He bowed formally "My name is Anakin Skywalker. Jedi Knight."

"And as you already seem to know, I'm Buffy Summers, the Vampire Slayer," Buffy said, strangely echoing his formality somewhat. Standing there in the well lit portico of the Espresso Pump, the two figures gazed at each other intently, as if sizing the other up. The more of this Anakin Buffy took in, the more her mind came back to the stories the vamps had told her. Recalling them now, when she was face to face with this man, she was almost certain that the two vampires had _not_ (within reason) been exaggerating his exploits, but had been telling the truth.

She'd only been in his presence for a few moments but there was just _something_ about his presence that dominated and made her feel small. Something under that calm and passive exterior that screamed passion and power, just beneath the surface. She also was sure, and aware, that her decision was not merely based on what she had heard and seen; that this man could be extremely dangerous.

Both of these aspects, as much as she hated to admit It weren't entirely unattractive either. And Buffy had to admit that the guy was _very_ attractive.

"I noticed there's been a sharp drop in the number of mysterious deaths here in Sunnydale. I take it that's been your doing?" Buffy asked, feeling her way carefully forward in the conversation.

Anakin shrugged. "To some degree, yes. Though I must admit your friends have been very helpful in that regard."

Buffy smiled slightly. "Thank you for that, really. I don't know what I would have done if any of them had been hurt."

Anakin stepped closer rooting Buffy to the spot and causing her to crane her neck to look him in the eyes, he seemed to tower over her. "It was no trouble," he began in that calm voice of his. "They have helped me to adjust to my new life here. I am not sure where I would be without them."

Buffy subconsciously licked her lips. "I'm sure you would have done…_fine."_ Buffy had to stifle a groan at how lame she sounded. "So…are you going to be staying in Sunnydale?" Buffy asked.

"For the foreseeable future," Anakin said.

"That's…good," Buffy stammered. "I ah…mean that…that you're…staying in town…being good."

Anakin nodded then looked around casually. "I had expected to meet up with the others. Where are they?"

"I sent them home," Buffy said quickly "This is my job not theirs, they really shouldn't be slaying."

"And yet they performed magnificently for the past three months…while you were away."

Buffy swallowed heavily at the barb. "Well I'm back now… and this really isn't a conversation that I want to be having right now. I just came to say Hello."

Anakin raised an eyebrow "Is that all?"

"No. I just wanted to get a feel for the guy who trained _my_ friends to be some…some…into the Sunnydale version of the A-team."

"They fight well," Anakin said.

"I know." Buffy exhaled as she again recalled the events earlier that night.

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence between them before Buffy spoke again.

"Thank you…for…for protecting them. And for keeping the streets safe."

"It was my pleasure." Anakin smiled.

"Um, it's getting late and I still have a job to do. I should… probably go. It was nice to meet you, Anakin." Buffy smiled shyly.

"And you as well, Buffy," Anakin replied.

"I look forward to seeing you in action, see if those stories the vamps say about you have any truth to them."

Anakin smirked. "More than you know."

Buffy smiled again as her mind summed up her new…she didn't know exactly what to call him, yet.

_Piercing blue eyes? Check. Magnificent body? Check. Broody aura of menace, mystery, and hotness? Check._

_I am in so much trouble..._

Even as those thoughts crossed her mind it filled her with a slight sense of unease for she realized she had started on a similar road not so long ago with a man she had fallen head over heels for. She would have to be very careful around him, less she fall into familiar patterns with someone who _wasn't _familiar.

"I'll see you later." She turned and walked away with a shy wave and soon expertly disappeared back into the shadows and out of site.

Anakin crossed his arms over his chest and intently tracked her progress as she walk away, and then he tilted his head slightly as if he'd just become aware of something.

"You're skills are improving, if I only just now became aware of your presence. The others are safe?"

Slowly a figure emerged from a nearby shadow, a very familiar figure. Xander.

"Of course; courtesy of werewolf taxi service."

Anakin chuckled then looked serious. "Why are you here?" Anakin asked.

Xander shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure things went smoothly. We don't exactly have a great track record in that department."

"Angelus. Yes I remember." Anakin nodded. "Is that all?"

Xander shrugged. "More or less but I was hoping she wouldn't do the whole Xena Warrior princess thing with us until after she got settled in."

Anakin raised an eyebrow at the culture reference. Xander blinked, began to explain, then fell silent as his master's raised hand. The faintly amused look told him he had been pranked. It was only for an instant, then the look was gone, replaced by the usually calm expression his master always wore.

"We'll deal with that when the time comes but for now go home, rest; you have school tomorrow and training."

"Yes Master." Xander turned to move then paused. "What did you think of her?"

"It is too soon to tell. But I will say this. Now that she's back I think life here in Sunnydale is about to get a lot more interesting."


	10. Chapter 8: Part 2

**The Return Part 2: Unsettling dreams.**

"Absolutely not. Under no circumstances," Principal Snyder declared.

Joyce Summers blinked in confusion. It was as if she couldn't believe what she'd just heard. "But you can't keep her out of School. You don't have the right."

Principal Snyder smiled in smug superiority. "I have not only the right, but also a near physical sensation of pleasure at the thought of keeping her out of school." His eyes nearly glazed over for a moment. "I'd describe myself as tingly."

"Buffy was cleared of all those charges." Joyce responded with the first hint of righteous anger in her voice. Buffy herself just sat quietly but internally she had a feeling this wasn't going to end well, and Snyder seemed hell bent to make sure of it.

"Yes. And while she may live up to the not-a-murderer requirement for enrollment, she _is_ a troublemaker, destructive to school property and the occasional student. And her grade point average is enough to…." His eyes glazed over for a second time, "I'm sorry," though by his tone it was clear he wasn't, "Another tingle moment."

Joyce was battling to keep firm control of her anger. "I don't see how you can be so cavalier about a young girl's entire future!"

"I'm quite sure that a girl with the talents and abilities of Buffy will land on her feet," Snyder said as he leaned closer towards Buffy "In fact I noticed as I came in this morning that Hot Dog on a Stick is hiring. You will look so cute in that hat."

Buffy was starring angrily at Snyder and doing her best not to slug him. "Let's go, Mom," she said through gritted teeth.

Buffy got up and walked toward the door. Her mother rose swiftly and faced Snyder directly. "This isn't over. If I have to, I'll go all the way to the Mayor." She turned and followed Buffy out of the office.

Snyder leaned back in his seat with a snort. "Wouldn't _that_ be interesting."

*********

After leaving Campus and grabbing a bite to eat Buffy realized it was getting close to spend her time shopping with Willow. The two women packed into Joyce's Jeep and quickly made their way downtown, pulling up across the street from the Espresso Pump.

"Don't worry about school, honey. If we can't get you back into Sunnydale, maybe we can swing private school."

"Private school?" You mean, like jackets and kilts? You want me to grow field hockey knees?" Buffy asked in growing horror.

Joyce smiled. "It's not that bad."

"What about home schooling?" Buffy countered quickly, "You know, it's not just for scary religious people anymore."

Joyce smiled again. "We'll work something out. Okay?"

They leant toward each other and kissed goodbye.

"Say hi to Willow for me?"

Buffy nodded as she released her seatbelt and got out of the car. Buffy watched her drive off then stood off to the side and casually looked into the Espresso Pump. As she stood there waiting for Willow to show up her mind began to drift back to the previous night when she met Anakin. She realized she was a bit behind the power curve as far as recent events went. She was fairly bursting with questions she hoped Willow would answer. Not just on what happened over the summer, but also get the inside track on the new guy. It wasn't just the inside scoop on what he was capable of, but just as importantly Buffy was just plain curious as to what he was like as a person.

He had definitely made an impression on her, she couldn't deny that fact but she also couldn't deny the impact he seemed to have on her friends. She also couldn't help but feel out of place. It had been more than three months since she'd left Sunnydale but it might as well have been three years. She felt adrift, lost…disconnected. But she vowed to change that and put her life back together.

As she looked down at her watch she blinked at what she saw then let her arms droop in disappointment. Willow should have been here nearly forty five minutes ago. It wasn't like her to be so late. It made her sad and just a bit annoyed to think that Willow would blow her off like that, but apparently she did.

Moving into the Espresso Pump itself Buffy pulled up a seat near the main counter by the register. "Hey James." She smiled politely, if a bit forcefully.

"Buffy!" James smiled in recognition. How are you kiddo?" he smiled pleasantly. James Count was the man who owned the Espresso Pump. A family man in his late twenties, with a beautiful wife and twin daughters, he had inherited the business from his father who, unfortunately, had met a rather violent, but typical Sunnydale end one night.

James had taken over the Family business soon after and in a display of silent courage showed that he would not be intimidated by the Sunnydale nightlife by maintaining the tradition of keeping the coffee shop open twenty four hours a day. It was a decision that nearly cost him his life.

One night, two vampires had decided to pay the coffee shop a little visit for a late night snack. As they started to feed on a few of his patrons James launched himself at them to defend his customers, but he was quickly overpowered by one of the vamps. Just as the vamp was about to feed on him he exploded into dust, dropping James to the floor. As he looked up in a daze he saw a beautiful young blond girl effortlessly stake the other vamp.

She had saved his life that night and the lives of his customers and he soon learned she had been doing it every night since. So after learning her name he decided to pay her back in the only way he could. She had a free reign on any drinks or pasties he had in the shop, on the house, no questions asked. It was the least he could do for a hero.

"You don't mind if I use your phone, do you?"

"Not at all" James smiled. He grabbed the phone from behind the counter and placed it in front of her.

"Thanks." Buffy smiled in gratitude then she quickly dialed the number to Giles's office while James went back to work on serving his customers.

The phone rang for a few moments before a familiar voice picked up.

"Giles? Yeah it's me. Hey listen, is Willow around? We were supposed to meet up almost an hour ago, but she's a no show. Is she alright?" Buffy listened intently as Giles responded.

"So she did leave? Ok. Uh, no that's fine, I'll…ah…I'll just meet up with her later. But thanks anyway." Buffy was about to hang up when a thought occurred to her. "Giles? By the way, just out of curiosity, where does our new friend live? You know, in case I ever need to…ahh…to ahh….to go over there…on, you know, Slayer related business." Buffy cringed. She sure hoped that didn't sound as dopey as it did to her but the next words out of Giles's mouth snapped her back to the present and made her drop the phone in stunned disbelief.

*************

Much later she came within sight of her house. She had curbed her initial impulse to pay Willow a visit and she knew Xander and Cordelia were probably doing something together she probably didn't want to think about. She had thought about paying their new friend a visit but quickly figured that might be a bit awkward. What would she say to him? She quickly realized she'd need backup if she ever ventured that way at least until she got a feel for the guy. She was also more than a little curious and a bit disturbed by what Giles had told her. Apparently he'd been in Sunnydale for a little more than a week before, somehow, purchasing the biggest house in Serenity Valley. She didn't know what to think but she began to suspect the worst before Giles had assured her it was on the level. The guy was serious go-getter.

_Wow._

Walking up the path towards her house Buffy was distracted from her thoughts when she saw an older woman come out and pull the door closed behind her. Buffy looked at her in confusion but the woman smiled at her.

"Oh, my word! Oh, you must be Buffy!" She stepped down from the porch. "Look at you. Aren't you a picture?"

"Thank you," Buffy replied, rather unsure what was going on.

"Oh, I'm Pat." She introduced herself while offering her hand. "From your mom's book club. I'm sure she mentioned me," Pat said as they shook hands awkwardly.

"Actually—"

"I, um, I sort of took it upon myself to look after her while you were…" Pat rolled her eyes. "You know, off and away or what have you, and…"

Buffy couldn't believe the conversation she was having with this strange woman and she quickly began looking aside for a way out.

Pat inhaled "Well, between, uh…" She exhaled "Your situation and reading 'Deep End of the Ocean', she was, uh, she was just a wreck. You can imagine."

Buffy gave her a weak smile and a nod.

"Anyway, I'm off. We're-we're making empanadas in my Spanish class tonight. You go be with your mom. You two need to re-bond." Without waiting for a reply she smiled and moved off on her way.

_Oh my, that was awkward_… Buffy snorted. But then again awkwardness seemed to be her big theme lately. Moving into the house and into the kitchen Buffy set her purse on the Island as her mother seemed to be taking notes from a book.

"Pat wishes us quality time," Buffy said as she went to the cupboard.

"Oh. I met her in a—"

"Book club," Buffy finished as she pulled out a glass.

"Yeah."

"Got it."

Joyce looked up. "Oh, uh, before I forget, uh, Willow just called.

Buffy was suddenly much more attentive. "Where was she?"

"Uh, she, she got held up, but she said she tried to call." Joyce said.

Buffy frowned in confusion. "Was there a message?" She stepped over to the fridge and grabbed a pitcher.

"No. But I had a thought. What if I invited Willow and Mr. Giles and everybody over for dinner tomorrow night? Don't you think that would be nice?" Joyce asked with a smile.

Buffy just opened the pitcher and poured herself a drink.

"Since I sort of already did, I was hoping for a yes."

Buffy looked up at her mom and gave her a small smile and a nod. "It'll be fun." She quickly lost her smile.

"Great. Uh, do me a favor? Run down and get the company plates."

"Mom, Willow and everybody aren't company-plate people. They're normal-plate people."

Joyce gave her a faint half smile "We never have guests for dinner. Indulge your mother?"

Buffy sighed and headed for the basement. In the basement she grabbed a stepping stool and set it in front of an old bookcase. She stepped up and for a moment was distracted by a picture on the upper shelf. She pulled it out into the light. It was photo of her sitting with Willow behind her and Xander laying his head on her legs with his eyes turned up at her. She stared intently at the photo for a long moment, a slight smile working its way onto her face as she remembered the day it was taken. Reluctantly she put it back and looked up to grab a set of good china. As she wiggled the box to pull it down a dead cat fell off of it and hit her head.

"Oh!" Buffy winced in surprise.

She jerked her head forward and then looked down squeamishly.

"Eww."

*****

Twenty minutes later Buffy grunted as she shoveled out a bunch of dirt among some bushes to make a shallow grave for the cat.

"Next time, I get to pick the mother-daughter bonding activity."

Joyce gently laid the cat in the hole. "Do you wanna say something?"

"Like what? Thanks for stopping by and dying?"

"How about, um…good-bye, stray cat, who lost its way. We hope you find it."

Buffy seemed to accept that and turned back to the hole to fill it back in.

Later that night Buffy reached over to the lamp on her night stand and turned it off. She laid back on her bed and hugged her covers to herself. She looked at the dark, lonely room and closed her eyes to sleep.

In the main bedroom where Joyce slept peacefully a low hum more felt then heard began to radiate from the mask. Its eyes began to glow a deep red. Outside in the backyard the dirt covering the cat began to move. A moment later the cat poked its head through the soil and meowed menacingly as it clawed its way out.

****

Sunnydale High. She couldn't remember how she got here and for one confusing moment she was certain she wasn't supposed to be here, but she walked into the hall from the outside anyway. The door slammed closed behind her, startling her with its echoing clang. She looked back at it hesitantly for a moment, but then turned and continued walking on. The School was deserted, which was odd really because wasn't it like early in the day? Where were the teachers and the students? Where were her friends? Where was Snyder?

She blinked. On second thought she didn't care where he was. Hadn't he been very mean to her recently? It was all kind of hazy. She tried to recall, but couldn't; nor did she care to. Oddly these questions didn't concern her as they should have. So she moved as if in a daze, yet with purpose, walking the deserted halls of the school. She walked past the empty lounge toward the library. The doors were open wide and she looked in for a moment hoping to see a familiar face. It was just as deserted as the rest of the school. She frowned in disappointment.

She continued moving through the school until she made it to the quad. The Sun was high overhead and seemed to beam brighter then she could ever remember. Sunnydale may live up to its name all year around, but the sun seemed to be unnaturally bright in the cloudless sky as its soft, warm rays shone down in all its magnificent glory on the quad.

Buffy slowly walked down the stairs all the while looking for any indication that someone…anyone, was there, but she saw no one. When she reached the bottom of the stairs she turned into the quad and stopped only for a moment when she saw Angel coming toward her. That was weird. It was bright and sunny outside, shouldn't he be bursting into flames? Didn't she like… kill him or something?"

It no longer seemed to matter. She kept walking as he fell into step just behind her.

"I thought they'd be here," she said softly.

"They are. They're waiting for you," Angel replied.

Buffy looked to him with a sad expression. "Am I dreaming?" Of course she was dreaming. That's the only time her ever came to her anymore. The only time she could still feel his touch on her skin or his kiss on her lips. The man her heart ached for, that she only now saw in her dreams.

Angel looked to her and chuckled slightly "I'm probably the wrong person to ask." Buffy stopped and looked up to him.

"You better go," Angel said.

Buffy looked up to him sadly. "I'm afraid."

Angel shrugged and looked at her. "You should be. Because it's coming and it'll be here soon."

"What is?" Buffy asked.

At that moment the light of day rapidly dimmed to darkness. Buffy looked up quickly and noticed that once clear skies had been blanketed by thick thunderstorm clouds. Distant thunder could be heard as it rumbled in the air and in the pit of her stomach.

A thundering intensity matched only by the beating of her heart.

She was getting a very bad feeling about this, and her apprehension shone clearly on her face. Looking around in a near panic Buffy noticed the school now looked different. Where it was once bright and inviting it now seemed foreboding and gloomy. Below her feet the once green and freshly cut lawn was replaced by hard packed ground devoid of plant life.

"Angel? What's going on?" Buffy asked.

"It's coming Buffy," Angel said as he circled her. "You have to be ready."

"What's coming?" Buffy asked. Around her the air seemed to darken and what little color that remained soon faded away into dark shades of black and grey. It then started to rain heavily. Only it wasn't water. It was blood.

"Angel!" Buffy whimpered when she saw the blood on her hands, yet oddly the rest of her wasn't getting soaked in it. It only seemed to frighten her more.

He stepped back from her then and his face took on a predatory expression she knew only too well as he immersed himself in blood. This was not Angel.

It was Angelus.

"It's a choice you have to make, my love," Angelus sneered as he slipped into his game face. "You will have to choose the lesser of two evils."

"I'm the Slayer. I vanquish evil," Buffy said; her voice as firm as steel.

Angelus chuckled in amusement. "Not this kind, sweetheart." He nodded in the direction of the stairs. Buffy turned slowly to see what he was looking at and took an involuntary step back.

There was a man standing there. He was a giant, standing nearly seven feet tall. He wore some horrific armor with skulls on either shoulder and one large skull serving as a helmet. The sharp jagged teeth that framed his face seemed to only add to the wild fire burning in his eyes. And those eyes bore down on her unerringly as he leered at her. A stream of blood flowed down the stairs from between his legs. Behind him fire engulfed everything around him.

"Who are you!?" Buffy demanded in as firm a voice she could muster.

The Warrior cackled then, and it was a hideous sound she never wished to hear again. "You'll know soon enough, girl." His voice was harsh like gravel, and seemed to only add to his overall aura of menace. He frightened her deeply.

"He's stronger then you." Angelus whispered into her ear from behind her. "They both are. You're out of your league, Buffy."

"Both?" Buffy asked as she slowly turned to regard Angelus. Their faces were mere inches apart but now he seemed clean of blood and was no longer in his game face, but now wore the face she longed for every night. As she noticed this she also noticed the downpour of blood had abated but she could still feel it on the ground, clinging to her shoes like lead, weighing her down.

Angelus chuckled again. "You don't want to know."

"I have to," Buffy said firmly, but she could feel her resolve beginning to waver.

His smile widened then. "Don't say I didn't warn you." He nodded in the opposite direction. It was a doorway into the school and as it slowly opened blackness as thick as fog poured out like smoke. She narrowed her eyes and probed the darkness but she couldn't see a thing. For a long moment nothing happened, and then she heard it; a harsh mechanical, rhythmic rasping echoing out from the blackness with the intensity of a trumpet. It startled her and again she tried to take a step back. But this time Angelus held her in place. His grip was like a vice holding her firmly, despite how much she struggled to break free.

Slowly she caught the faintest flickering of light and she could barely make out a silhouette slowly moving forward, a figure that seemed darker then his surroundings. The flickering light seemed to be coming from something on his chest, which was weird.

He stepped out of the darkness and into the light, or rather, what passed for light and into the quad. He was cloaked in deepest black and overlaying body armor. He was tall and imposing and he wore a mask that seemed the epitome of a nightmare. With each purposeful stride he advanced on her slowly, methodically, confidently; his harsh mechanical breathing echoing in her ears in sync with the pounding of her heart.

Buffy frantically struggled to break free and get away but she couldn't move.

"Stop struggling. This is the best part," Angelus whispered into her ear. The nightmare stopped a few feet from her. He seemed to study her intently but otherwise said nothing.

Buffy suddenly felt Angelus let her go but still she remained rooted to the spot, only this time by something else that had a vice grip on her heart.

"Who…who are you?" she managed to ask as she trembled.

The figure said nothing for what seemed like eternity, then suddenly his left arm shot out with frightening speed and made a gripping gesture with his fingers. At once Buffy felt something clamp down on her throat, choking her. She struggled against invisible fingers as she fought for breath, but nothing came. She was forced to her knees in a splash of blood by some unknown force, and she frantically searched for anything she could use to break this grip on her throat.

She saw Angelus standing a few feet away laughing at her. She turned to the stairwell and saw the savage warrior cackling in delight. But nowhere did she see a weapon nor an avenue of escape. Nowhere did she see her friends.

On the verge of blacking out she looked up with wide frightened eyes to the Dark Warrior towering over her. He held a black and silver cylinder in his right hand and with the flick of his thumb it ignited with an angry snap hiss that elongated into a sword of crimson light. Light that bathed the entire quad with a blood shine hue. He raised the red burning sword high over his head.

"_I_ am your fear made manifest." He spoke in a deep mechanical inhuman voice that chilled her to the bone.

"_I_ am your death." Then he swung the blade down with an angry buzz. And the world ended in burning fire and crimson light.

*********

Buffy snapped awake, gasping for breath. Looking around in startled confusion she swiftly rallied her wits and was comforted to see she was safe in her bedroom. Looking down at herself while she struggled to regain her breath she noted her T shirt and bed sheets were soaked in sweat. She sat up and tossed the covers off completely. She pulled her knees close to her chest and rubbed her face with hands that trembled slightly.

"It was just a dream," she murmured to herself in a shaky, raspy voice. Whether to comfort herself or in disbelief she didn't know, but it had felt so real! Even now she could recall the feel of blood on her hands and Angelus's vice like grip. Pulling up the sleeve on her left arm Buffy absently checked her shoulder for any sign of bruising and sighed with relief when she saw none. But still she ached all over. She gingerly rubbed her sore throat.

It could have been a Slayer dream. She'd bet good money that it probably was. They were always heavy with signs and portents and cryptic messages. The one she just had would probably rate about a ten on her scale of intensity. She thought about telling Giles then thought better of it. Things were already awkward enough between them. Maybe she'd tell him later once they all readjusted.

Expelling a breath she hadn't known she was holding Buffy stood, grabbed a fresh set of clothes and went for a much needed shower.

****

Nearly an hour later, after a nice long hot shower to loosen her tense muscles Buffy stood in the kitchen, absently staring at the refrigerator while she was listening to her mother speak.

"I've been on the phone with the, uh. The Superintendent of Schools. At least he seems more reasonable than that nasty little horrid, bigoted, rodent-man," Joyce said, finally breaking through the mental fog in Buffy's mind.

"Mom…"

"Anyway, um, I'm going to speak with him this afternoon. Uh, as for private schools, uh, Miss Porter's accepts late admissions."

Buffy closed the fridge not too gently and spun to face her mom with growing horror. "A girl's school? So now it's jackets, kilts, and no boys?" Buffy read the slip of paper on the island then looked back at her mother with a frown. "Care to throw in a little foot-binding?"

Joyce set her coffee mug down and stepped towards her daughter, a stern look on her face. "Buffy, you made some bad choices. You just might have to live with some consequences."

Buffy bit back a retort. Despite her feelings she knew her mom was right. Joyce seemed to pick up on Buffy's mood and her face gently softened in sympathy.

"Nothing's settled yet." Joyce couldn't bring herself to look her daughter in the eye so instead she grabbed the overflowing trash bag from the trashcan. "I just wish you didn't have to be so secretive about things. I mean, it's not your fault you have a special circumstance. They should make allowances for you."

"Mom I'm a Slayer. It's not like I need to ride a little bus to school," Buffy countered with a slight roll of her eyes.

Joyce sighed and walked to the door with the trash. "Couldn't you just tell a few people, like Principal Snyder…and maybe the Police?"

Buffy simply gave her an incredulous look.

"I mean, I would think they would be happy to have a…a superhero," Joyce reasoned.

Buffy's incredulous look only grew.

"Is that the right term? I mean, it's not offensive, is it?"

Joyce didn't wait for an answer. She opened the door to take out the trash and jumped back in startled fright when the dead cat they had buried the previous day ran in and meowed menacingly at them.

****

"Welcome to the Hellmouth petting Zoo. And here I thought Pet Cemetery was creepy." Buffy smiled as Giles stepped into the house. Giles smiled thinly in greeting and for a fleeting moment Buffy squashed her desire to speak to him about the dream she'd had the previous night. Instead Buffy simply nodded her head up the stairs. Giles looked up and then proceeded up the stairs, Buffy right behind him.

They entered Joyce's Bedroom where the cat was hiding under the bed. Giles didn't waste any time and simply kneeled down to grab the cat by the back of its neck and pulled it out.

"Oh my God, what a stench!" Giles gasped in disgust. He put the dead cat in the cage and closed the latch.

"You know, I wanted Forest Pine or April Fresh, but Mom wanted dead cat."

Joyce and Giles both couldn't hide their looks of disgust at the dead cat.

"I'll uh…"Giles paused to catch his breath, he was doing his best to not lose his breakfast as he was nearly overcome by the stench. "Uhg! I'll get it back to the library; see if we can determine its exact origins."

Giles lifted the cage and turned to face Joyce and as he did so his eyes fell on the mask.

"Its, uh…striking and…Nigerian?"

Joyce smiled "Oh. Yes. I-I-I have this wonderful dealer who specializes in ancient artifacts, I don't know if you—"

"You know," Buffy began, interrupting her mother. "I love art talk as much as the next very dull person, but we have work to do, Giles. Research mode." Buffy turned on her heels to the door, finally glad to have something to do to occupy her mind, even if it was research.

"Sh-sh-Shouldn't you stay with your mother, perhaps, Buffy? I mean, you must have—"

Joyce jumped in immediately "Please, no. I…its fine. She can go with you."

"Actually she can't," Giles replied delicately. "Um…you're not allowed on school property." Giles said directing the last part to Buffy.

"Oh." Buffy smiled sadly. In her excitement she'd forgotten.

"I'm sorry. Um, uh…I'll call as, as soon as I know something," Giles said. He reached for the door as the cat growled and hissed.

"Oh, we'll see you tonight?" Joyce asked.

Giles nodded "Tonight, then. Yes."

He opened the door and left.

****

Sometime later at the Library the Scoobies gathered and were in full research mode…Well that wasn't to say all of them were conducting research. Oz inspected the cat closely, though having the strongest sense of smell he didn't seem to be as bothered by it as the others…who were all keeping their distance. Willow was engrossed in research, the only one other then Giles, while Xander shared Oz's fascination with the dead cat but just a litter further back.

Having had several close calls with his use of the Force around Oz, Xander thought better of probing the creature intently. Xander wasn't sure how it was possible, but whenever Xander tapped into the Force openly Oz would quickly divert his attention from whatever it was that he was doing and look at him suspiciously. It was crazy, but Xander would almost bet that Oz could feel it when he actively used the Force.

Had Xander been more experienced in his use of the Force and not so quick to assume anything, he would have realized that the funny feeling he got when he probed Oz with the Force was the young man's own Force sensitivity and not his werewolf side. The fact that Oz always zeroed in on him whenever he did it, and was paying a lot more attention to his actions should have been another clue. But alas Xander was still something of a novice and had missed the obvious signs of another's Force sensitivity.

"It looks dead. It smells dead. Yet it's moving' around. That's interesting," Oz casually noted, yet anyone who knew him could clearly tell he was fascinated. Xander nodded in agreement.

"Nice pet, Giles. Don't you like anything regular? Golf, USA Today, or anything?" Cordelia asked as she sat opposite of Willow and at least pretended to help with research.

Giles came down from the stacks on the second level. "I'm trying to find out how and why it rose from the grave. It's not as if I'm going to take it home and offer it a saucer of warm milk," Giles replied in mild annoyance.

"Well I like it. I think you should call it Patches," Oz offered.

Willow looked up from her book "What about Buffy's welcome home dinner tonight? I had told her mom we'd help out. Bring stuff."

"I'm the dip," Cordelia said as she absently flipped through the pages in boredom. She didn't notice everyone stop and look at her in amusement.

"Uh, you gotta admire the purity of it," Xander chuckled.

Cordelia looked up at everyone in confusion. "What? Onion dip. Stirring, not cooking. It's what I bring."

Oz leaned back in his chair. "We should figure out what kinda deal this is. I mean, is it a-a gathering, a shindig or a hootenanny?"

"What's the difference?" Cordelia asked.

"Well, a gathering is brie, mellow song stylings; shindig, dip," Oz nodded to Cordelia who smiled. "Less mellow song stylings, perhaps a large amount of malt beverage; and hootenanny, well, its chock full of hoot, just a lil bit of nanny," Oz informed.

"Well, I hate brie," Xander piped up at once.

"I know. It smells like Giles's cat," Cordelia added in agreement.

"It's not my—"

Xander interrupted. "And what'll we talk about at a gathering anyway? So, Buffy, did you meet any nice pimps on your travels? And oh, by the by, thanks for running out on us and leaving us to do your job for the past three months by ourselves! Did you realize how much we worried about you? Did you give us any thought at all? Did it ever occur to you that we needed you just as much as we-"

"Xander…." Willow cut off his rant gently but firmly.

"I'm sorry, but you all know what I mean. She doesn't want to talk about it; we don't want to talk about it—except wait, we do want to talk about it, but nobody seems to be doing any talking, so why don't we just pretend it never happened."

Cordelia smirked. "So, just shut up and dance?"

Xander deflated a little as he settled into his seat. "I guess that works too."

Willow perked up a bit as she picked on their logic "Well, Buffy said she did want to loosen up, you know, have some kid time." Willow looked to Oz. "Aren't you guys rehearsing tonight? Why don't you play at the party?"

"Yeah, I think I could supply some Dingo action." Oz nodded thoughtfully.

Giles looked a bit troubled at where this was heading "Uh, I—I'm not sure that,a,a, um…shindig…"

"Hootenanny," Oz corrected with a cool handed wave.

"H—hootenanny i-is-is really the order of the day. Uh, uh, it should…maybe something a little more intimate. I...I mean, Buffy has just got home. I'm, I'm sure she's still feeling a little disoriented." Giles spoke up, trying to be the voice of reason and derail this line of thought before it turned into a train wreck.

"All the more reason to make her feel welcome, a-and a big party, says 'Welcome Buffy," Willow countered.

Xander slapped Giles on the back which caused the Englishman to turn and give him an annoyed look.

"Okay, so one vote from the Old guy for a smelly cheese night. And how many votes for actual fun, huh?" Xander asked. Everyone but Giles raised their hands.

Giles sighed. "Alright, alright. Have it your way. I'm just glad to have her home."

The Cat hissed menacingly distracting everyone for a few moments while Giles absently paged through the book.

"Now things can get back to normal," Giles said. Of course had he not been so distracted he might have realized that the last page he absently turned was the very page with the drawing of Joyce's mask.

****

Dinner had come far quicker then she had expected, sneaking up on her as much as everything else had since her return. She'd been home only a few days and she had hoped that maybe the awkwardness and tension between her and her friends would have already passed, yet it stubbornly persisted. The feeling of being disconnected and cut off hadn't faded in that time but had only been exacerbated. Buffy sighed. It was too much to hope that it would just go back they way it was before she left. She knew that intellectually, but she hated feeling like the outsider looking in.

Hopefully tonight's dinner would change that. She was getting tired of the awkward tension, and since everyone coming to dinner was 'in the know' on the big secret, she thought that maybe tonight they could finally clear the air and set things right. She had spent much of the day preparing for what she would say or ask them, but the right words never seem to come to her and before she knew it, or was ready for it, the appointed hour was here.

She set the table beautifully with her mother's best china, crystal and silverware. All neatly dressed and tidy. Buffy dressed up for the occasion wearing a modest yet classy pink dress that fit her nicely. She put the last items into place when the doorbell rang. She looked over the table one last time with a slight smile before she went to open the front door. Through the window she could see Pat waiting there, holding a large plastic container of food. Buffy stifled a groan and opened the door.

"Hey, there you are," Pat said with a wide smile as she came in. "Not thinking about any more flights of fancy, I hope."

Buffy couldn't believe what she was hearing and used all of her considerable self control to bite back a witty remark about Pat's thinning hairline and sixties looking blouse. It was so hideous it was nearly criminal.

"Joyce said there was room for one more, so I said forget facial night and let's party!" Pat smiled brightly again. "I bet you like empanadas." She held out the container to Buffy, who slowly accepted it and gave her a false little smile.

"Do you want to see my Mom?" Buffy asked.

"Please." Pat smiled again.

"MOM!" Buffy screamed, almost frantically.

Pat looked up the stairs just as Joyce appeared at the top.

"Oh, Pat! Good. Buffy, I hope you don't mind," Joyce asked as she and Pat embraced.

"Hi ! You look great," Pat complimented. The doorbell rang again at that moment. Buffy took the empanadas under one arm and moved to answer it. When she opened the door she was slightly taken aback at the group of people she saw gathering on her porch.

"Hey, Buffy. So where do you want the band to set up?' Devon asked as he walked into the living room to look for a good spot. The rest of the Dingoes quickly filing in behind him with assorted equipment.

"Wha-the… band?" Buffy blinked as she absently noticed two girls carrying parts for the drum set.

****

Welcome to Sunnydale please enjoy your stay.

It was a typical sign that greeted people heading into the quiet and peaceful suburban California town. A place that offered a warm temperate climate and beautiful natural scenery. Sadly most of those who saw the sign as they made their way in to this little haven in California rarely lived to see its opposite number.

But for one figure sitting on a Harley and wearing heavy bone plated armor that didn't look like it would be a problem. Scanning the nearby streets with his keen eyes the Kurgan could see numerous figures stumbling about and heading in the same general direction. Anyone or anything that got in their way was immediately attacked. Already the Kurgan could hear the frantic cries of several people in distress as they were attacked without mercy from their assailants.

He cackled in delight.

The Kurgan howled as he watched what appeared to be zombies literally tear a young woman limb from limb; her frantic screams for help going unanswered by the Kurgan who sat back and enjoyed the show. Through the power of the quickening he could feel the dark undercurrents of energy rippling all around him. It was invigorating, feeding his primal urges and compelling him onward.

Sneering in glee the Kurgan drew his sword and with one powerful swing he effortlessly chopped the sign in half with a roar. The sign promptly crumpled into pieces.

"Now this is my kind of town!" he said to himself as he restarted his bike and sped down the street, ramming or cutting down anyone or anything foolish enough to get in his path.

It was about to be a very bad night in Sunnydale.

********

**The Enclave**

Anakin Skywalker stood watch on the balcony landing overlooking Sunnydale with his hands behind his back and feet set firmly apart. His eyes were closed tightly in concentration as he reached out with the Force, but try as he might it was proving to be a challenge to pin down the dark energy radiating from somewhere in town. He'd felt something awaken the previous night and it had subsequently been growing stronger within the past few hours; feeding off the dark energies of the Hellmouth.

He had been prepared to do battle that night, but no foe had appeared that he could challenge. And rigorous interrogation of several local vamps had yielded no clue of a new 'big bad' in town. It was a phrase he'd picked up from Xander and with a sense of growing amusement found himself using it more and more when describing the numerous enemies they faced and would face in the future.

Anakin had yet to face one of these 'big bads' on his own and he was quite looking forward to the opportunity to test his skills in a real fight against one. But whoever or whatever this new foe was, it wasn't looking for battle and wanted to stay hidden.

At least for now.

That meant it was still vulnerable, until it was ready to make its move. Anakin had the sneaking suspicion that time would be very soon and he…

Anakin paused and quieted his thoughts as he attuned himself to his surroundings. He felt another disturbance in the Force, this one he could pinpoint. It was…..

Suddenly Anakin's head snapped up and he opened his eyes to mere slits. His face set firmly in a frown. There, off in the distance…he felt a presence. A presence he'd felt in a Force vision only a few short months ago. Anakin swore he'd be vigilant and stay on guard for whoever he was. And if necessary Anakin was more than ready to decisively end him here and now. Putting on his dark brown coat over his dark clothing, he picked up his blade and secured it before he hesitated.

There was a dark power on the rise in town, somewhere, and he had no idea where, but it was growing in strength. But whoever or whatever he was about to face was clearly far more powerful.

hat settled it. He'd deal with the greater threat first. Whatever this rising power was it would have to wait, or he could leave it to the Slayer to deal with. This was more important.

With his mind made up Anakin launched himself off the balcony and landed with ease into a crouch. He moved quickly past the gates of his property before breaking off into a Force enhanced sprint, disappearing into the night with a firm resolve to end the nightmare before it could truly begin.

*********

The party was in full swing with the Dingoes playing one of their more popular songs. The house was densely packed with people to the point that Buffy suspected half of Sunnydale high had decided to show up. Buffy didn't know who most of these people were but apparently they all knew who she was and so she traded insincere smiles and waves with anyone who called her name. Which was practically everyone. She'd never felt more out of place in her life.

Moving through the crowd Buffy was looking for Willow before she spotted her leaning against a table.

"Hey!" Buffy said as she came close.

"Hey," Willow said smiling but it was clear that she was mostly listening to the band.

"This is large!" Buffy said.

"You like?" Willow asked as she spared Buffy a sideways glance.

Buffy couldn't quite hide the disappointment in her tone "Yeah. It's great. I-I was just sort of hoping it would be…us."

"Sorry," Willow said as she motioned with her hands that she hadn't heard what Buffy said.

Buffy hesitated for only a moment. "This is amazing, but I was sort of hoping we could just hang together, the gang."

Willow again indicated that she couldn't hear but Buffy quickly figured she was more into watching Oz play than anything else at the moment. She started to walk away and drift aimlessly through the crowd but then she straightened and turned back. She wanted her life back and she was determined to get it back. If that mean provoking a confrontation with Willow to get her to spill the beans then so be it.

She moved back to Willow's side and touched her on the arm. She indicated they should go someplace to talk. Willow led Buffy away from the crowd until they found a relatively quiet spot in the dining room.

"Is everything okay?" Buffy asked with a pleading look on her face. "You…you seem to be avoiding me, i-in the one-on-one sense."

"What?" Willow asked with a look of surprise. Willow quickly shook it off. "This isn't avoiding. See? Here you are, here I am."

"So we're cool?" Buffy asked.

"Way! That's why, with the party, cause we're all glad you're back." Willow smiled.

Buffy reluctantly accepted that for now even though Willow hadn't been very convincing in her sincerity.

"Okay…" Buffy said with a tight nod.

"Okay. Good." Willow smiled, either not noticing or not commenting on the disappointed look on Buffy's face.

Awkwardly the two quietly made their ways to separate sides of the crowd as Willow moved to the table with the snacks while Buffy wandered aimlessly through the crowd. So much for that plan…

****

Not far away from Buffy and Willow, Xander and Cordelia were locked in a tight embrace. To anyone present with half a brain this was a bit of an understatement as the two were doing their best impression of tonsil hockey right in the middle of Buffy's living room. It left little doubt that the two were dating and definitely into each other. Slowly, reluctantly, Xander pulled back from the heavy necking and put his forehead to hers, Cordelia wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Xander I haven't been this happy in a relationship since…since I can remember." Cordelia smiled.

"Well I'm glad." Xander returned her smile. He suddenly felt a hundred feet tall.

"I...I think we've waited long enough," Cordelia said quietly.

Xander blinked, totally caught off guard and wasn't quite sure what she was saying. That was…until Cordelia's smile turned from warm and genuine to coy and naughty.

"Oh…ohhhhhh," Xander drawled as realized exactly what Cordelia was hinting at. At that moment, hidden from direct view by either of them, a blonde figure who had been slowly approaching stopped dead in her tracks, as if she had just hit a wall. Thanks to her enhanced hearing she had easily overheard the intimate conversation between the two young lovers. Totally unprepared for what she heard she couldn't hide the sudden and unexpected feelings of hurt and jealousy that caught in her throat. She turned and sped off back into the anonymity of the crowd without either of the two lovers any of the wiser she had been right behind them.

"Are you sure?" Xander asked. It was a question that actually surprised him. Xander, of course, had always been ready to hear those words, what guy wasn't? Especially when you had a hot babe like Cordelia that was your girlfriend, and she was definitely giving you the green light.

"Now?' Xander squeaked in a not so manly way before he cleared his throat, "Right now?"

Cordelia rolled her eyes. "Please, what do I look like, some cheap skank? No, not now, Xander, but…soon, real soon. I want it to be special."

"Oh yeah. Right," Xander said in a slightly embarrassed tone as his cheeks flushed red. Truthfully he hadn't expected he'd be getting laid anytime soon. Cordelia certainly hadn't lived up the rumors of being a slut that her few jock 'ex-boyfriends' had been spreading about her. Beforehand he might have believed them, back when he was the treasurer of the 'I hate Cordelia club'. But now, as he had gotten to know her and earn her affection he had begun to realize the amazing woman she was. Thanks to his growing sense of self control he had been content to simply enjoy her presence and any quality time they could share. Apparently she had thought the same thing. But now she wanted to make things even more intimate between them.

Cordelia's smile turned coy again. "My parents are going to Mexico next week…"

"I like the sound of that." Xander returned her smile.

"That leaves us together alone in a very big house…in my very big bed that can easily accommodate two people." Cordelia smiled.

"I'm definitely not finding a flaw with this plan."

She leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "You're not getting lucky tonight, but I'll make it worth your while. Go act like you're about to get a drink then meet me down stairs in five minutes." Cordelia didn't even wait for Xander to reply before she pried herself out of his grip, winked, and moved off through the crowd.

Xander gulped. "Oh boy…" He nervously made his way to the table and quickly got a drink for his suddenly dry mouth and downed most of it in one gulp. He was definitely eager to shoot through the crowd and head down to join her but he decided to play it cool.

"Hey!" A sultry feminine voice called out behind him. Xander spun suddenly in surprise and spilt the rest of his drink on his shirt in the process.

"Sandy!" Xander yelped in recognition, wiping at the wet spot on his shirt as she came up to him, getting just a little closer than most women usually seemed to want to get with him.

"There you are. Good party, huh?" She smiled.

"Ahh…yeah…yeah it is… it's for a friend of mine." Xander absently looked around for Buffy through the crowd before giving up and looking directly at Sandy. "So what's up? What are you doing here?"

"I love a good party. And I heard from Larry you might be here so I figured I'd check it out. And here you are."

Xander nodded numbly "Ah yeah...here I am…haha…okay." Xander blinked. "Ah wait. You came looking for me?"

Sandy nodded.

"Um…not that I'm complaining but usually women don't come looking for me…in fact they usually try to avoid me so… err…why?"

"I sorta wanted to talk to you. It's kind of important really…at…at least to me it is," Sandy stammered. She was now showing the first hint of nervousness in her demeanor. Xander had pretty good feeling about what she wanted to talk about. And he would gladly put her mind at ease with answering her questions. But for the love of Twinkies couldn't her timing have been just a little better? Xander decided to just come out with it and clear the air between them.

"This is about that night at the Bronze isn't it?" Xander asked knowingly.

Sandy's eyes widened slightly. "So you do remember."

"Yeah I do." Xander nodded. There was no point in denying it. She knew it was him and to lie to her about it would only insult her intelligence.

Sandy smiled slightly "I'm really surprised you didn't say anything. Most guys would have said something if only to impress a girl. 'Hey you remember me? I'm your knight in shining armor that saved you'. Kinda lame really and it sorta ruins the moment." Sandy rolled her eyes then she studied him intently, taking in Xander's earnest face. "But you didn't. I'm actually kind of impressed by that."

"Well no offense, Sandy, but I would have helped anyone in that situation. No one deserved to be treated like that," Xander related honestly.

"I believe you, but still I just wanted to say thank you." Sandy stepped forward and hugged Xander tightly then she placed a delicate, lingering kiss on his lips. Before Xander could recover from his shock and form a coherent response she pulled back and smiled warmly. "Thank you, Xander; for being my Knight in shining armor and coming to my rescue."

"It was…uh…uh…okay," Xander croaked.

"Well, I'll see you later, Xander. Count on it." Sandy smiled, waved coyly and soon moved through the crowd and joined up with a few of her girlfriends. They were all eyeing Xander appreciatively and giggling between themselves causing the young man to wave sheepishly before suddenly spinning back towards the table.

"Oh man!" Xander exhaled. He picked up another cup and downed the contents in a few gulps. This night was sure turning out to be something else. Looking down at his watch a slow smile crept on to Xander's face as he moved to the door. Cordelia was waiting.

***********

In Joyce's room the eyes of the mask was now glowing a vibrant scarlet, building rapidly in intensity as it fed off the dark power of the Hellmouth for its horrendous purpose.

(To be Continued)


	11. Chapter 8 part 3 The Dead Mans Party

In a sparsely lit park in Sunnydale the red and blue flashing lights of a Sunnydale PD cruiser illuminated the night. The car was parked next to a corpse. A recent victim of the Sunnydale nightlife who looked as if he'd been speared by something before being dragged more than a hundred feet. There was still fresh blood and the tattered remains of his clothes that left a trail. Emergency Medical Technicians, clearly realizing any attempts to revive the man were hopeless, moved off from the dead body to fetch a gurney, while the officers were interviewing the witnesses. Their frantic words seemed to make no sense as they rambled on incoherently; but for one figure, partially concealed in the bushes out of sight, listened with keen interest.

"We were….we... were walking and…and…this guy on a motorcycle came out….out of…nowhere!!!" a woman sobbed. "He came right at us _laughing_….it was horrible! Before we…knew what was…was happening he drew a sword and he impaled my husband…then he….he dragged him across the road…WHILE HE WAS STILL ALIVE!" The woman broke down completely at this point but her words were enough.

Anakin lowered his head and sighed; this had just recently happened, he could tell by how only moments ago he had felt the man become one with the Force. Anakin might have arrived sooner but he had encountered numerous people in distress who were all being attacked by animated corpses. Anakin had to repress a sneer of disgust. What was with this world and its obsession with the abomination of the undead? If vampires weren't bad enough now he had to deal with Zombies? Yet another perversion and mockery of the living Force. Thankfully the Jedi were civilized enough to burn their dead, this world was a case in point why one should never bury them. He'd make sure his apprentice understood this.

Shaking his head slightly to center his focus he realized this thought was a waste of time. He had to move. The Dark side was growing stronger as the night progressed and was beginning to cloud his vision with the Force. He had encountered something like this before, just before the Clone wars had begun. It could only mean one thing. The power of the Dark side was growing. He needed to end this now.

Slipping unnoticed back into the bushes Anakin continued his hunt for the enemy.

*******

Sunnydale General Hospital was a beehive of activity. Within the past two hours numerous patients had been brought in for a myriad of reasons ranging from broken bones to more serious trauma. It was getting to the point that the hospital staff was getting overwhelmed. Already all off duty staff were being recalled but within the past hour even a few of them had come in as patients. Victims of what the police were calling a 'spat of gang violence'.

At present a trauma team was doing their best to save a severe burn victim. The man had been brought in twenty minutes ago; the victim of a house fire. It was a 'true' accident, as far as such things could be judged. And considering the absurd death toll in Sunnydale those accounted for only a rare few.

As the trauma team went about its work it was becoming increasingly apparent all their attempts to revive the man were in vain. A nurse held a pair of defibrillator pads ready while a doctor conducted chest compressions, while yet another nurse bagged him.

"Come on, breathe, breathe!" The doctor silently willed. But despite his efforts the man's vitals remained flat lined. The doctor finally gave up and stepped back motioning to his team to do the same.

"Alright, look. These burns are too extensive. It's 7:43. Let's call it."

The doctor walked off with a shake of his head, clearly not happy losing a patient but he pushed it aside and moved off to another. The two nurses put away their equipment and soon joined him.

However unbeknownst to them the mask of Ovu Monbani— 'The Evil Eye' - was working its dark magic. The burn victim's eyes suddenly opened. He sat up in bed leaving a puddle of blood on the pillow and started moving off.

"Oh my God!" one of the nurses cried out.

The reflection on the heart monitor screen showed the now deceased man violently knocking people out of his way as he moved toward the exit.

*********

At the party Buffy was at the snack table gathering empty cups when a guy cut in front of her for a handful of party mix. He leaned his head back and dumped the contents into his mouth but most of it spilt to the sides and on the floor. Buffy just shrugged and grabbed a few more cups and moved to throw them out. She passed two guys talking and slowed when she overheard their conversation.

"Hey, what's the deal with this party anyway?" the first guy asked.

"This party? Heard it was for some chick that just got out of rehab." The second guy, who was obviously stoned, took another drag from a joint.

Buffy just stared at them for a second before she snorted and continued on towards the kitchen. Needless to say she was less than pleased about the latest rumor going around about her. Just shy of the kitchen door she stopped suddenly as she overheard her mother's voice.

"Whew!" Joyce exclaimed.

"Now, how you holding up, Joyce, hmm? Really."

"Really? I'm…I don't know," Joyce answered honestly. "While Buffy was gone, all I could think about was getting her home. I just knew that if I could put my arms around her and tell her how much I loved her, everything would be okay."

"But?" Pat prompted.

Buffy stood stock still, tuning out the band and the conversations behind her as she listened intently to the conversation in the other room.

"Having Buffy home, I-I thought it was gonna make it all better, but in some ways, it's almost worse."

Buffy felt as if she'd just been stabbed in the heart with a stake. She slowly set the cups down and rushed to the stairs. Coming back had been a mistake. What had she been thinking? That everything was just going to go back to the way it was? That they could put this all behind them? She should have never come back. She rushed to her room and partially closed the door behind her. She looked to her bed sadly and sniffled, trying her hardest to keep the tears in. She bent down and pulled her bag from under her bed and slammed it onto the mattress. She went to her closet and grabbed a pile of clothes and stuffed them into her bag.

*****

In the Joyce's room the eyes of the mask were now glowing brighter than before. Drawing yet more power from the Hellmouth for its dark purpose.

*****

Just past the opposite end of the park Anakin unfortunately ran into yet another setback. A number of Zombies had been in the middle of attacking a group of teenagers who had the rather unfortunate case of being in their way. Rather than run away, which would have been the smart thing to do, the three teenagers watched in fascination…until that fascination rapidly turned into terror when they were quickly surrounded and attacked. Anakin had arrived just in the nick of time and quickly dispatched the Zombies before any of the teenagers had been seriously hurt. But as he did so more began to show up, and more behind them, and yet more behind them; there were dozens of them coming from at least three directions yet curiously moving toward a set purpose westward. Revello Drive, if he remembered correctly. Unfortunately Anakin and the three teenagers were right in their way.

Not for the first time that night Anakin wondered if he had made the right choice in going after the enemy in his visions rather than the cause of this recent chaos. But the Force had been clear in who was the greater threat. And despite the chaos in front of him, the carnage he had _felt_ in that vision had been many times worse.

"What are they!?" One of the teenage girls nearly screamed. Her two companions, another girl and a young boy also looked on the verge of panic as they all hugged each other. The boy showed the makings of some courage as he tried to shield the two girls with his body from the zombies.

Anakin did not answer. He could feel his target getting further and further away and it was becoming nearly impossible to track him through the thickening shroud of the Dark side. If this continued his vision with the Force would be utterly useless before the night was over. He was losing valuable time.

It would have been so _easy_ to leave these foolish teens to the fate they had brought on themselves and carry on his mission. To hunt down the _true_ threat and eliminate it before it could unleash its carnage. Surely what were the lives of three stupid teenagers, who should have known better, compared to dozens if not hundreds of lives?

_Do good in the here and now and let the future attend to itself…_

Not for the first time he could remember Qui-Gonns words rang sharply in his ears, reminding him of his duty. After all, were these not the same words he had imparted on his young apprentice? They were the very basic tenants of the Jedi, to help those in need. What good was he as a Master if he could not practice what he preached?

But just as importantly, to abandon these young innocents to a gruesome death, while he had the power to prevent it, would weigh on his conscience and he already had enough of those. He had undeservedly reclaimed the title of Jedi Knight. A title by all rights he had lost with his turn to the Dark side. But if he was so insistent on reclaiming that title then he should act as a Jedi. And a Jedi would not leave these people to such a fate.

"Do you know a place of refuge where you can find safety?" Anakin asked. The first of next group of zombies were almost upon them and getting closer moving to engulf them like a putrid sea of death.

"Yeah" The boy answered. "My house is just past the park, over there." He pointed in a direction past the oncoming zombies; towards a well lit house not far off.

"I will carve a path through these _things_. Stay behind me, and do not deviate from the path I create. Once inside the house you stay there. Do not come out until it is safe. Do you understand?" Anakin demanded. His tone was firm and brokered no dissent. Thankfully the three were so scared out of their minds they simply nodded in consent.

"Very well." He brought his sword up and assumed a Juyo opening stance while at the same time reaching out to the Force he encased his charges in a barrier of Force energy. Just for good measure.

The first zombie came within striking distance and promptly toppled over into two halves that fell on either side of the ground next to Anakin. His strike had been so swift the three frightened teenagers hadn't registered that he had even moved. Fighting past their shock and awe they quickly followed his instructions and stayed close behind him. Anakin pressed his opening and pushed forward. Like Moses parting the Red Sea, his blade moved with deadly purpose cutting a gaping path through the large number of zombies. None came close to touching him or those he was charged to protect. The Force guided his actions as he surrendered to its will; always placing his blade where it would have the most effect or using a Force push where it would do the most good. He seemed to be everywhere at once, moving in a blur to the startled teenagers. His application of power and skill were so efficient and overwhelming he had managed to cut through the crowd of zombies much quicker than he expected without any of them getting close to those he deemed to protect. He needn't have bothered with the barrier of Force energy. Once free of the swarm of Zombies Anakin took a moment to survey his handiwork; not one Zombie had been left standing.

The group soon arrived at the porch to the house.

"Now stay indoors until this madness has ended," Anakin ordered.

The three teenagers nodded numbly and complied without another word. No thanks were offered, but then none was required either.

Turning back towards the park Anakin stretched out with the Force once more and repressed a scowl of frustration. His vision with the Force was nearly useless now; like trying to see the surface of Raxus Prime from orbit with the naked eye. Taking a deep breath Anakin searched for a calm centre, letting his frustrations dissipate with each calming breath. It took longer than he would have liked, his anger and frustrations straining for release like a blood thirsty Kath hound, but he slowly brought his anxieties under control. Slowly the fog cleared by only a fraction but it was enough for Anakin to sense beyond his immediate surroundings.

There were four signatures that sang through the Force; each one powerful enough to penetrate the shroud of the Dark side like a beacon in the night. Two were together and he recognized them instantly. Xander and Buffy were together and as Anakin focused more on them he realized they were already at what he was beginning to realize was the epicenter of this demonic activity. Anakin nodded in approval. His apprentice and the Slayer were already on the job. Good. Working together they would surely prevail; of this he had no doubt. The third signature was moving north and Anakin recognized him as his target. He was a few miles out and didn't appear to be in any hurry. Good. He could still catch him. So who was the fourth signature then? It was much farther away well outside of town but Anakin had a strong suspicion it was heading this way. No matter. Whoever it was would not take part in this battle tonight. Centering his focus Anakin moved off in relentless pursuit of the enemy.

******

At the Library the cat meowed menacingly and was constantly ramming the side of the cage. Something had obviously riled it up and it had given Giles a reason to double check his books to make sure he hadn't missed anything. It was a good thing he had.

"Oh, Lord!" Giles exclaimed. He ran into his office to set the books down on his desk. He turned the page back to where he had marked it and once again he came upon the picture of the Mask. A mask he had seen earlier that day.

Frantically Giles picked up the phone and dialed Buffy's number and impatiently waited as it rang.

******

Back at the House the Dingoes were playing their next song and the guest were chatting or dancing to the music. The phone could barely be heard by the few people around and none thought to pick it up until finally someone did. The stoner who had inadvertently informed Buffy over the latest rumor about herself. The stoner put the phone up to his ear and plugged his free ear with his finger.

"Party Villa, Can I rock you?"

_"I-I-I need to speak with Buffy. Um, immediately! I have some information that is extremely important!"_

At that same moment someone broke a glass cup which distracted the stoner from the call.

"Yeah! Fiesta foul! You gotta do a shot!" the stoner said to someone in the crowd, practically ignoring the guy on the phone.

_"I need to speak to Buffy! Now!"_ Giles insisted from the phone.

"Bunny?" the stoner asked distractedly before lowering the mouth piece before he spoke to his friend, "that guy's gotta do a shot."

_"Buffy!" _Giles nearly shouted through the phone.

The stoner simply held the phone out towards the crowd. "I need to talk to a Buddy! Is there a Buddy here?" When no one answered he put the phone back to his head. "He's not here. You got the wrong casa, Mr. Belvedere." He hung up the phone and rejoined the party.

*******

Back at the Library Giles could barely hear what was being said but the click of the phone line going dead was unmistakable. He slammed the phone down in annoyance and quickly gathered his things then rushed out the door.

*******

There are those moments in life in which we want something so bad we can taste it, feel it even. What it is that we selfishly desire becomes our sole focus. It consumes us rather than allowing us to focus on we know we must do. This unfortunately was the case for one Xander Harris. Xander had been on a sort of euphoric high for the past few days. He had been so happy that life seemed be returning to a semblance of normal that he allowed his feelings to cloud his better judgment. His friends were all home and safe; he was secure in his girlfriend's affections, and he was growing more confident in himself and his skills. Life was going great…which was _just _when the Hellmouth decided to turn his world upside down.

Xander and Cordelia were making out _passionately_; each allowing their hands to roam all over the other without thought, both of them totally lost in the moment. Xander may not have gotten into Cordelia's pants _yet_ but that didn't mean he hadn't gotten into her blouse. With each passionate kiss and intimate touch their emotions built to a crescendo that threatened to break like dam. Despite previous claims of wanting to wait until the right moment they were quickly approaching the point of no return. Xander's thoughts and feelings were so focused and in tune with Cordelia's right now that sensing his environment with the Force was the last thing on his mind. Which could probably explain why he hadn't picked up on or acted on the threat of Ovu Mobani…simply because he hadn't been paying attention.

With each passing moment as their as their kisses intensified, their enemy grew stronger. As they began stripping the other of clothing, danger grew closer. But there was only so much ignoring of the warnings from the Force that Xander could take before something _finally_ cut through the fog of lust and desire that had been clouding his mind.

Xander's eyes snapped open in alarm as he pulled his hands from under Cordelia's bra. He took a horrified step back and frantically searched his surroundings while breathing heavily. He could feel it now he had opened his awareness. Someone or something was coming and would be here very soon. He could feel dark power all around him, like a whirlpool of energy pulling everything in. How in the hell had he not felt this? And here he was with his shirt off, disarmed and totally unprepared to meet it!

"Xander…Xander, what's wrong?" An equally half naked Cordelia asked in numb confusion as she struggled to calm the raging fire in her belly and regain her composure. It was a good thing Xander had stopped; otherwise she wouldn't have been able too. Rallying her wits swiftly she started looking for her blouse and his shirt.

"I feel a disturbance in the Force…" Xander muttered to himself absently. He was so distracted by own sense of self recrimination that he wasn't thinking about what he was actually saying.

Cordelia stopped dead in her tracks and starred directly at Xander. "You feel a disturbance in the what? Xander how can you…." Her surprised stare turned into one of suspicion. "Xander…what's going on? What aren't you telling me?"

Xander suddenly couldn't meet Cordelia's eyes.

_Uh oh…_

"Only Anakin knows how to use the Force," Cordelia stated with certainty. "How could you…." Her eyes grew wide then and she started to shake her head. "Noooo….no…no, no, no! I knew it!" Cordelia furiously launched herself up to face Xander square on. "I just knew it! I was wondering when the other shoe was eventually going to drop! I just knew this was all too good to be true! The body, the new attitude, the super boyfriend act, I just knew there was _something_ going on and I just knew he had to be behind it!"

"Cordy, please—"

"Don't you 'Cordy Please' me, mister! Were you ever going to tell me? Whatever it is that's going on?" Cordelia put on her blouse and started buttoning it. Xander hesitated for a moment which was enough for Cordelia in her agitated state of mind to condemn him. "You weren't, were you?"

"Of course I was going to tell you!" Xander replied.

"Like when? At the turn of the Millennium? The next apocalypse? _When_ were you going to say something, Xander!?"

She was furious, Xander knew that much, he could feel it emanating off her like heat. He had gotten so used to keeping this secret from her and his friends that he had grown comfortable with it. He realized now that he hadn't really considered how they would feel when they eventually found out.

He though it was no big deal, that it wouldn't really bother them when they found out, but judging by Cordelia's reaction he had miscalculated. Oh, boy, had he miscalculated. He could feel Cordelia's anger bordering on fury. If he wanted to salvage his relationship with her then he'd better start with the damage control and fast. Unfortunately the Hellmouth was not going to give him that kind of time.

"I wanted to tell you right away, Cordy. I swear." Xander tried to fend off her anger.

"Oh _sure_ you did, Xander!" Cordelia huffed angrily and threw his shirt at him. Xander caught it in mid air and started putting it on. "You know in some books not telling someone something as important as this is just as good as lying to them."

Cordelia stopped suddenly as if something occurred to her. She turned her eyes in horror at Xander. "Jedi can…can read and manipulate people's minds. I mean we've seen him do it on more than one occasion. Can you read people's minds? Can you read my mind?"

He had _never_ violated her like that, and he never would. Xander had always respected Cordelia's privacy and inner most thoughts. But her surface emotions on the other hand were fair game and by careful observation of her emotions alone he could usually pin down what was on her mind. It was actually getting harder not to feel them, so what she was asking did have some merit to it. But he didn't really know how to explain the complexities of empathy and telepathy to her. He wasn't even fully sure he understood it himself.

So her question was met by stark silence.

"Xander?"

"Kinda…"

"Have you been reading my mind? Have you been manipulating me?" Cordelia asked, her voice holding the slightest hint of betrayal.

_How much of this was actually me and not you taking advantage of me?_

"Cordelia, I'm sorry…but we don't have time for this!" Xander pleaded. "We have to go, now! Can we talk about this later?"

"No you don't Xander Harris! We will talk about this right now!" Cordelia snapped.

"Cordy? Bad feeling in the Force, something bad is coming. Just trust me on this."

_How do you expect me to trust you anymore when you've been lying to me and manipulating me?_

Cordelia seemed to deflate somewhat. "Fine. But if you think this is over you are sadly mistaken, _Harris!" _Cordelia hissed, she stormed past Xander and headed up the stairs with Xander right behind her.

Their once solid relationship was now suddenly on very shaky ground.

****

It was… not right, unworldly. The floor was smooth like glass, the pillars holding up the roof coated in some reflective material that shimmered in coldness. The colors were harsh, repulsive, designed to inflict discomfort on those passing this way and encourage them to leave quickly and get on with their business.

It was clinical, a faint stench of bleach and burning stinging the air, a few silent mutterings as huddled forms devoured flesh in badly lit corners, harsh lighting flickering overhead as the Warrior entered this place laughingly called a Palace.

"Double Meat Palace," the Kurgan rasped with obvious amusement. "I love mankind I really do."

He slammed the doors shut behind him, the glass panes smashing with the force and tinkling on the pavement outside.

"Oops," the Kurgan said with mocking insincerity. "Sometimes I don't know my own strength."

He strode across the fast food joint clad in his black armor, decorated with its grotesque skulls and plumed helmet, the baleful and sadistic face of the warrior gazing out like carved granite. He pushed aside patrons as he moved forward knocking down one elderly man with a wave of his hand.

"Sorry gramps!' He snickered as he moved forward. About a foot from the counter he pushed an overweight man aside before the man could grab his bag of burgers. The man tried to protest but the Kurgan grabbed him with his left arm, hoisted him up then threw him threw a glass paneled window.

"Burgers are not your friend, fat boy!"

The Kurgan turned back to the front, leering a smile as he stopped at the counter, looming over both it and the extremely unlucky girl on the night shift.

"Things have changed since the Eighties." He grinned a toothy smile, the type of grin a wolf would show a sheep. "Got any recommendations honey lips?"

"Please…help yourself…really I insist. In fact take whatever you want!" the cashier whimpered in fright as she stepped back from the towering figure in front of her. She was a young pretty strawberry blonde that the figure couldn't help but notice. Which was probably what put her on the front counter in the first place.

"Don't mind if I do!" the Kurgan laughed as he took the bag of burgers from the counter without paying then casually snatched the money from the register. Depositing the money in a pocket he grabbed a burger from the bag and took more than half of it in one massive bite.

"A double meat stacker; a burger to sooth your savage hunger; a Double Meat Palace specialty. Something about that statement just sings to me! I couldn't pass it up! Do you know how long it's been since I've eaten anything?" He leered suggestively as he open mouthed chewed his burger.

"No," the girl squeaked. Behind her the rest of the crew and the manager were slowly making for the rear exit while the customers behind the Kurgan quickly made for the front entrance.

"Practically a lifetime, sweetness!" He tossed the rest in his mouth. "Hmmm, _tasty_." He began flickering his tongue at her obscenely.

The girl started backing away from the counter slowly.

"Ah, don't be shy, I'm just being friendly!" the Kurgan leered "So how old are you strawberry?"

"Sev...sev… seventeen," the girl croaked.

"mmmm…nice and ripe," the Kurgan chuckled darkly.

The girl was really starting to get scared now.

"But then I've always been a 'if there's grass on the field then play ball' kind of guy, you know?"

The girl gulped. She looked around and suddenly realized that she was alone with the guy.

"So what do you say strawberry? We grab a hotel room and I make you my willing little love slave? I have _lifetimes_ of experience and boy am I packin!" The Kurgan wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"I think…I…I think I'll be going now." The girl turned and bolted for the rear exit.

_Oh! She's one of the fun ones!_

He smiled darkly as he let the girl get a head start. While he'd never admit it, never once in his long centuries of life, he was actually somewhat impressed. When confronted by his awesome presence, most women froze like deer in the headlights of an oncoming truck, completely helpless against his advances; this one had the strength to break through her fear and run, and with such speed at that. Oh, this was going to be so much fun. As far as he was concerned, she'd already earned her life, once he was done with her.

He was just about to hop over the counter and run after her when he felt a tingle run down his spine. This wasn't the usual tingle he felt in the back of his head when in the presence of another Immortal. This was something else. It was powerful and it was heading his way.

The Kurgan spun back towards the front entrance, his intent to hunt down the girl and have his way with her instantly forgotten as he felt the power of a potential challenger. Whoever it was clearly wanted him to know he was there.

It was a challenge. One he eagerly accepted.

"There can be only one!" he cackled in delight. Walking prosperously towards the door, he reached into the bag of burgers, pulling out one of the sandwiches and casting the rest aside. With a savage twist of his head he consumed almost half of it in one bite and finishing the rest in seconds. When he was finished, he threw the wrapper over his shoulder and strode out the entrance with deadly intent.

****

In her room Buffy was pulling out more stuff from her closet. She went back to the bed to stuff the things in her bag. Her attention had been so focused on her packing that she hadn't heard the door opening behind her until a voice spoke up.

"You're leaving again?"

Buffy spun quickly and saw Willow standing at the door. She turned back and continued packing.

"What, you just stopped by for your lint brush and now you're read to go?" Willow asked, highly upset.

"It's not like anyone will mind."

"Oh, no. Have a great time. Oh, oh, and don't forget to not write," Willow huffed sarcastically.

Buffy finally broke down and began sobbing as she turned to face Willow. "Why are you attacking me? I'm trying."

"Wow, and it looks so much like giving up!" Willow fired back she was also breaking down and in tears.

"I'm trying to make things easier," Buffy said.

"For who?" Willow asked.

"You guys were doing just fine without me," Buffy replied in a strained voice.

"We were doing the best we could! And we were doing okay, but it's not like you left us a choice in the matter. You abandoned us!"

"Sorry that I had to leave, but you don't know what I was going through!" Buffy whined.

"Well, I'd like to," Willow countered.

"You wouldn't understand," Buffy said.

"Well, maybe I don't need to understand. Maybe I …I just need for you to talk to me," Willow considered.

"How could I talk to you when you were avoiding me?" Buffy asked.

"This isn't easy, Buffy! I know you're going through stuff, but…so am I."

"I know that you were worried about me, but—"

"No! I don't just mean that. I mean _my_ life! You know? I, um…I'm having all sorts of—I'm dating, I'm having serious dating with a werewolf, a—and I I'm studying witchcraft and killing Vampires. And there's this mysterious guy who freaks me out more than Angelus did. And I didn't have anyone to talk to about all this scary life stuff. And you were my best friend." Willow also broke down and began sobbing. The tears were flowing freely as they finally began to get to the heart of the issue that had come between them.

****

Giles was driving his car through the deserted streets of Sunnydale. Unknown to him the local populace had since figured out that something 'weird' was going on and decided to stay indoors to wait it out, as they had every other major event in recent memory. This left the streets blissfully empty for one very annoyed Watcher as he sped through the seemingly deserted streets heading to Buffy's house on Revello drive.

"Unbelievable." Giles said in a mocking tone of Joyce "Do you like my mask? Isn't it pretty? It raises the dead! _Americans!" _He looked up just in time to see that he was about to hit someone.

"Jesus!" Giles exclaimed as he slammed on the brakes and began to skid. Unfortunately it wasn't enough as the man hit the hood of his car and bounced off the windshield. The man rolled a few times before coming to a rest. Giles stared in shock for a moment before he snapped out of it.

"My God!" He exclaimed. He quickly rushed out of the car to check the man. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Giles began to check for a pulse but the man turned over and Giles recoiled when he saw that he was in an advanced state of decay.

"Good God!" Giles started to backpedal away but the zombie grabbed him and lifted him by the coat. From his peripheral vision Giles could see more zombies approaching from an alleyway.

It was already too late.

********

"You have no idea how much I missed you. Everyone. I wanted to call every day."

"That doesn't matter, Buffy. It doesn't make it okay that you didn't."

At that moment Joyce walked by the room and saw the bag on Buffy's bed. "What is this? Is this some sort of a joke?"

"Mom, please, could you, could you just--"

"No, I can't, _just!_" Joyce replied hotly. "Buffy, what is this?"

"She was running away again," Willow accused.

"No, I wasn't," Buffy paused in confusion, "I'm not sure."

"Well, you better _get_ sure and explain yourself right away!" Joyce replied sternly.

"Stop it! Please! I don't know. I don't know what I'm doing!" Buffy sobbed. Without thinking she rushed from her room and headed down stairs with her mother and Willow hot on her heals. She stopped at the front door and turned to the living room where she saw a disheveled Xander and Cordelia coming towards her.

"Don't you leave this house, young lady!"

Buffy looked longingly at the door which was enough to tip Joyce off to her intentions.

"You know what? That's it!" Joyce moved up to Buffy and grabbed her arm and turned her to face her. "You and I are going to have a talk."

The band stopped playing and people in the crowd stopped talking. An eerie stillness crept over the room. Buffy looked around at everyone staring at them.

"Mom, please," Buffy implored with a desperate look on her face.

Xander and Cordelia stopped a few feet away.

"You know what? I don't care. I don't care what your friends think of me, or you for that matter, because you put me through the wringer, Buffy." Joyce inhaled sharply "I mean it. And I've had schnapps." She exhaled sharply, "do you have _any_ idea what it's been like?"

"Mom, this isn't the time—"

Willow was looking around worried as Oz slowly put down the guitar and made his way through the crowd to move to her side.

"You can't imagine _months_ of not knowing. Not knowing whether you're lying dead in a ditch somewhere or, I don't know, living it up—"

"But you told me!" Buffy interrupted. "You're the one who said I should go. You said if I leave this house, don't come back. You found out who I really was, and you couldn't deal. Don't you remember?" Buffy fired back in her own defense.

The crowd began to thin out as people started to leave, most of them thinking the cool party had suddenly turned into a drag.

"Buffy, you didn't give me time. You just dumped this thing on me and you expected me to get it. Well, guess what? Mom's not perfect, okay? I handled it badly. But that doesn't give you the right to punish me by running away."

"Punish you?!" Buffy said the words as if they tasted bitter in her mouth. "I didn't do this to punish you!"

Xander interjected himself in the argument. "ah…guys this really isn't—"

"Shut up, Xander!" Buffy snapped. She turned angrily to the rest of the crowd while Xander backed away with his hands up in surrender. "Anyone else have any stunning insights or revelations? No? No one else wants to weigh in? How about you by the dip?"

Jonathan froze in the middle of bringing a chip laden with dip to his mouth and looked around nervously at everyone suddenly staring at him. "No, thanks. I'm good."

"What about you?" Buffy pointed to Larry standing by the drinks.

Larry folded his arms across his chest and shrugged noncommittally. "I'm cool."

"Wow, Buffy, are you having a total meltdown or something? Why are you acting like a complete psycho?" Cordelia snapped.

"You're being really selfish, Buffy," Willow pointed out.

"Okay! Okay. I screwed up. I know this. But you have no idea! You have, you have no idea what happened to me or what I was feeling!"

"Did you ever try talking to anybody?" Xander found himself asking. Despite the fact the Force was screaming a warning inside his head.

"There was nothing that anybody could do. Okay? I just had to deal with this on my own," Buffy sobbed.

"Yeah," Xander snapped sarcastically, "And you see how well that one worked out. You can't just bury stuff, Buffy. It'll come right back at you."

"Oh you are so right about that," Cordelia spoke forcefully through gritted teeth. Her eyes never wavered from Xander when she spoke.

Xander swallowed heavily and looked around helplessly. This situation was going from bad to worse and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

******

Giles was finding his vision starting to dim as the zombie strangled him. Pushed back against the hood of his car Giles barely managed to get enough leverage to bring up his right foot and kick the zombie off him. Scrambling quickly Giles made it back inside his car and locked the door. Unfortunately his actions had roused the attention of more zombies and they encircled his car and started pounding on it. Giles reached for the ignition and discovered his keys missing. He searched his pockets and came up empty. He looked out to the street and spotted them.

"Oh, good show, Giles," he moaned in self recrimination. Giles had to think fast. His antique car was taking a pounding that it couldn't really tolerate. In a flash of inspiration he reached under the dashboard and pulled out some wires. In his younger days the trick of hotwiring stolen cars had been a bit of a game for him and Ethan and they had both gotten really good at it. He hadn't done it in years, nearly two decades. But now that little half remembered trick just might save his life.

The wires sparked and the engine started up causing Giles to smile ruefully. "Like riding a bloody bicycle!"

The driver side window suddenly exploded in a shower of glass which slightly disorientated him. Before he knew what was happening an arm was wrapped around his neck and started pulling him through the driver side window. Giles fought back valiantly against the superior leverage and inhuman strength but he was quickly being overpowered.

"Bloody hell!" Giles gasped as he fell back against the seat, the pressure around his throat suddenly disappearing…along with the arm of the zombie which suddenly fell into his lap. Giles stared at the severed arm for a moment in stunned disbelief then quickly tossed it out before he looked up to see several zombies fly into a nearby brick wall. Blinking for a moment Giles saw a familiar figure in dark clothing cutting down the last of his attackers.

"Hello Rupert, it appeared as if you were in need of some assistance," a familiar voice said to him.

"Anakin." Giles smiled in relief. "Yes that was a bit of a tight spot…but I've been in worse. It's a good thing you're here. Ovu Mobani is drawing these zombies to him. We need to get to Buffy's right away."

"I'm afraid I cannot join you."

Giles blinked. "What?"

"I cannot go with you."

"Yes, I understand that's what you said but I'm a bit curious as to why?" Giles asked in confusion.

"There is something here Rupert. Something worse than the current chaos we face."

Giles blanched at that statement. "Are you sure?"

Anakin raised an amused eyebrow in response.

"Right, of course you're sure." Giles shook his head.

"I have been tracking him for some time but I have yet to encounter him. I keep running into people in distress."

Giles nodded. "It's the mask of Ovu Mobani. It's reanimating the dead and drawing them to it. If one of them succeeds in putting the mask on it'll become the demon incarnate."

"Then you must make sure that does not happen."

"That's proving to be somewhat more challenging than I had anticipated," Giles replied emphatically.

"It's drawing on the Dark energies of the Hellmouth to amplify its power then projecting its effects through the Force. It's making things…more difficult for me."

"In what way?" Giles asked. He was surprised.

"My vision with the Force has been, clouded. It's making it more difficult to see beyond my immediate surroundings and to track my enemy. And it's… making it… _harder_ to draw on the Force."

Giles was slightly ashamed to learn that he felt a sense of relief at that statement. From the moment Anakin arrived he had displayed feats of raw power and skill that deeply frightened the Watcher, though he had never shown it around his young companions. In fact Giles had yet to see Anakin truly exert himself in a fight, even against what should have been considered overwhelming numbers of vampires and demons. He had seen many powerful warriors and magic users in his time but none who had such power and skill the likes of which Anakin possessed. Sadly Buffy also fell into this category, the watcher reluctantly admitted. It seemed to add an air of invincibility about the man. But for Anakin to admit, even reluctantly, to a weakness proved that he wasn't invulnerable after all. And that comforted the watcher somewhat.

"And you think the mask of Ovu Mobani might be causing it?" Giles asked, shaking the thought off.

"I believe so, yes."

"Then all the more reason to destroy it," Giles nodded thoughtfully. He expected his line of reasoning would provoke a response from Anakin, but when none was forthcoming Giles turned to face him. Anakin was staring down the opposite end of the street Giles had just come from.

"Problem?" Giles asked cautiously.

"Yes and coming this way."

**********

"As if I could've gone to you, Xander. You made your feelings about Angel and I _perfectly_ clear," Buffy said.

"Look. I'm sorry that your honey was a demon, but most girls don't hop a greyhound over boy troubles," Xander countered.

Cordelia interjected herself into the conversation. "Wow Xander, we have time to talk about this but not _our _problems? What was it that you were saying about bad things coming with no time to talk? But then again this is about your precious Buffy, so naturally she takes priority over me."

"Cordy…" Xander pleaded.

"No, no, no. I get it. Let's analyze this situation and get to the heart of the matter. I mean put yourself in Buffy's shoes for a minute. Okay? I'm Buffy, complete freak of nature, right? Naturally I pick a freak for a boyfriend, and then he turns into Mr. Killing Spree, which is pretty much my fault—"

"Cordy! Get outta my shoes!" Buffy interrupted.

"I'm just trying to help, Buffy." Cordelia shrugged.

Willow stepped forward. "Buffy, you never—"

"Will, please. I can't take this from you, too," Buffy said nearing the breaking point.

Xander snorted. "Let her finish! You at least owe her that!"

"God, Xander! Do you think you could at least stick to annoying me on your own behalf?"

"Fine!" Xander huffed angrily "You stop acting like an idiot, I'll stop annoying you!"

Buffy stepped up to Xander. "Oh, you wanna talk acting like an idiot, _Nighthawk?_"

Oz interjected himself between them. "Okay. I'm gonna step in now, being referee guy."

"No, let them go, Oz," Willow snapped, earning a disapproving look from Oz. "Talking about it isn't helping. We might as well try some violence."

Xander's head snapped to the window mere seconds before several zombie smashed through it.

"I was being sarcastic!" Willow exclaimed.

A zombie rushed Xander and grabbed him by the shoulders but Xander simply rotated his arms upward then slammed then downward again, breaking the zombie's grip. Seizing the initiative Xander placed a powerful kick to the zombie's gut. As the animated corpse doubled over from the sheer impact, Xander grabbed it by the hide ran forward and tossed it back out the window.

Xander didn't have time to savor his small victory. The Force alerted him to another potential threat, a zombie that had rushed past him while he was dealing with the first one was heading straight for the stoner who simply starred in dumbfounded confusion. Acting swiftly Xander performed a back spin kick that connected with the zombie's ribcage knocking it into the wall.

Willow and Oz shook themselves out of their stupor and scrambled to help. They grabbed the zombie by either arm, hefted him to his feet then, then working together, promptly threw him back through the window right into another three zombies struggling to come through.

The stoner blinked a few times, looked to the mass of zombies trying to come through the window, then to the blunt in his hands, back to the zombies then back to the blunt. "Wow…what did he put in this stuff?" The stoner shrugged and took a _long_ drag from his blunt.

The sound of breaking glass coming from the kitchen warned Xander and Buffy that the zombies were coming in through the kitchen door window. By this point the remaining party guests were finally responding as they tried desperately to keep the zombies from coming through the living room and dining room windows, but no one was covering the kitchen.

"Xander, kitchen!" Buffy yelled over the noise.

"I got your back, but we need weapons!" Xander replied.

Buffy looked around and spotted an andiron from the fireplace. She grabbed it and tossed it to him. Xander quickly moved off to the kitchen with Cordelia close behind him.

A zombie managed to break through the group of party guests trying to hold the line at the window and came directly at Buffy. She launched into a hopping side kick that connected to its gut. The zombie staggered from the attack for a moment but then came on again. The zombie threw a punch which Buffy sidestepped and then countered with an upper cut under his arms. It didn't faze him. The zombie swung with both arms and knocked her aside, but Buffy sprung back up instantly and counterattacked with a jab hook combo then ducked under the zombie's questing arms.

Joyce couldn't help but wince and cringe as they exchanged blows. She looked around frantically for a weapon herself and spotted a vase.

The zombie spun back towards Buffy and tried to make another grab for her but Joyce came up behind him and smashed the vase over his head. Buffy took a second to scan her surroundings with her peripheral vision. She could see the rest of the party guests were having limited success in keeping the zombies at bay but they were already starting to get pushed back. They were about to be overwhelmed.

Buffy turned her full attention back to the zombie and swept his legs out from under him.

"It's some kind of monster!" Jonathan croaked as he gripped Joyce's left arm tightly in a bear hug.

Joyce spared him a sympathetic look of reassurance before turning back to Buffy. The boy had brought up a good point. "Are these vampires?" Joyce asked.

Buffy studied her downed opponent for a brief moment. "Uh, I don't think so."

"Buffy, heads up!" Willow shouted a warning. She had found a piece of a broken window frame and tossed it to Buffy. Buffy snatched it firmly then planted the impromptu stake perfectly into the zombie's heart. The zombie just stared back at her.

"No, not vampires," Buffy stated, her eyes widening slightly.

The zombie started to get back to its feet and Buffy readied herself for a fight.

******

In the kitchen Xander was squaring off against a lone zombie, thankfully the only one to come through the rear kitchen entrance. Xander had been unable to probe further with the Force; some kind of dark fog was clouding his vision, making it impossible for him to see a few feet beyond his immediate surroundings. But since no other zombies had joined his new sparring partner he was reasonably sure it was the only one to use the kitchen entrance.

Xander attacked with a series of well placed powerful blows to the zombie's head and upper body, all of which would have easily incapacitated a fledgling vampire without much difficulty. Unfortunately all it did was cause the zombie to stagger a bit.

"Man, this sucker wobbles, but won't fall down!"

"Xander, you can use the Force, right?" Cordelia asked from behind him.

"Yeah," Xander acknowledged, but a little irritated by the question.

"Then stop fighting like a retard and USE IT!" Cordelia yelled.

Xander delivered a powerful side kicked that knocked the zombie back. He looked around and saw the stake on the nearby island. Gripping the stake with the Force, Xander launched it at the zombie with tremendous power causing the stake to punch cleanly through the zombie and exited out the other end and through the door like a high caliber bullet. The zombie fell back against the door and slumped down. It stared at the hole in its chest for a brief second then slowly began to stand back up.

"Okay…not what I was hoping for." Xander grimaced. He brought the andiron into a Soresu opening stance as he seemingly waited for the zombie to attack. But in actuality Xander was attempting to reach deeper into the Force to draw the energy inside him… and meeting serious interference in the process. Xander could feel the horrible stench of the demon Ovu Monbani radiating through the Force; Its putrid power tainting the pristine web of energy with every passing moment and affecting his ability to reach out to it. He had never even considered, let alone trained for the possibility of something cutting his connection to the Force, cutting him off from his source of power and comfort. As much as he tried to focus on his training he couldn't help but feel his own fear rising in response.

"Oh for God's sake, Xander, do that wavy thing with your hand!" Cordelia flapped her wrist in a poor imitation of a Force push.

"A what?" Xander asked in irritation as he spared her an angry glance.

"Telekinesis or whatever you call it!" Cordelia snapped.

Xander lowered the andiron by a fraction and blinked then spared Cordelia another glance. He turned back to the zombie just as it rose to its feet. With a look of pure loathing etching itself on his face, the demon became a focus of all things demonic he despised. Stretching out to the Force with his fear and anger, Xander was able to cut right through the interference clogging his connection. Reaching deeper into the Force than was necessary Xander unleashed a _far_ more powerful wave of energy than he intended which slammed into the zombie like a cannon ball; knocking it back through the door in an explosion of wood splinters and body parts.

"Oh, way to go genius!" Cordelia shook her head with a look of open mouthed horror.

"What are you talking about?" Xander scowled.

"Everyone else is barricading the windows and doors and _you_ just send the bad guys an open invitation to come right on in!" Cordelia exclaimed.

"You said to use the Force and push it back. Well I did!" Xander snapped.

"Does using the Force make you stupid or something!? You open the door first then push it out!"

Xander seemed to come to himself as he snapped out of his funk and turned back to the door with a look of dawning realization. She was right. Rather than keep his cool he had allowed his anger to cloud his judgment. And in giving into his anger he had acted rashly and may have just doomed them all.

An explosion of glass from above the kitchen sink rained down on them as another zombie attempted to break through. A deeply shaken Xander took a deep steadying breath to rein in his anger then he moved to the window. He couldn't afford to lose it now. They still had a fight on their hands.

*****

The situation in the dining room and living room were becoming desperate. Two more zombies had broken though the line, one of them disappearing the other deciding to join its companion already fighting Buffy. Jonathan and Joyce were hitting it repeatedly with broken pieces of wood while Larry was pummeling another threatening to break through with a vicious combination of punches.

"We got to get em back outside!" Buffy yelled as she dogged another wild haymaker from the zombie.

"On three!" Joyce commanded. Devon and Oz broke from the window and moved to aid both Summers women. Jonathan grabbed the door handle while Devon and Oz grabbed the second zombie. On a nod from Joyce, Jonathan opened the door quickly allowing Devon and Oz to toss the zombie out. It stumbled for a second then turned back to storm into the house. It didn't even take a step as the first zombie Buffy had been battling flew through the open doorway and into its companion, both of them flying backwards from the impact and flipping over the wooden banisters on the porch and into the bushes. Jonathan immediately closed the front door and locked it. His face was completely ashen and he was breathing heavily.

"You okay?" Buffy asked in slight concern. Jonathan offered a weak smile and thumbs up. Buffy returned his smile. He was holding up remarkably well, keeping his wits about him instead of panicking. In fact, if Buffy had to guess, he seemed more _alive_ than at any point she could remember seeing him. It seemed there was a bit more to Jonathan than she first believed.

"Ah, Buffy, they're starting to push through! We can't hold them!" Larry spoke up over the noise of battle.

"They're getting through!" Willow added in a near panic.

"We need some help out here!" Buffy shouted.

******

In the kitchen Xander struck with a Force enhanced right hook that knocked the zombie back through the window. Both Xander and Cordelia heard Buffy's plea for help. They shared a brief look before Xander took control of the situation. "Go and help them I got things covered here."

Cordelia looked as if she wanted to say something but held her tongue. She nodded; a look of regret on her face and then she left without another word.

****

In the living room Oz had traded places with Jonathan and was pushing all his weight against the door while the other guests were still busy trying to fend off a horde of zombies at the window.

"Grab that table!" Oz motioned to Devon. Devon grabbed the table and helped Oz position it at the door. Devon then went off to get another one. Xander showed up at this point and started looking for any way he could help. Suddenly a zombie punched through the door and made a grab for Oz's shoulder, the rest were nearly through the window.

"We can't hold them, they're breaking through!" Larry shouted.

"Upstairs--"

"--Out the back!" Xander and Buffy shouted in unison.

Buffy ran up the stairs and into her mother's room with Willow and Joyce right behind her. At the top of the stairs Joyce spotted Pat laying unconscious on the floor down the hall.

"Oh, Pat!" Joyce rushed over to her friend with Buffy and Willow right behind her.

"Oh, God…"Joyce nudged Pat forcefully in an attempt to wake her. Pat moaned and shifted causing Joyce to sigh in relief. She grabbed Pat under one arm while Willow grabbed the other and they carefully hoisted her up.

"I got you Pat, your gonna be okay," Joyce said reassuringly. They made their way into the master bedroom and closed the door behind them.

*********

In the living room the attempt to hold the line at the door and window completely crumbled as the zombies burst through. In complete panic the remaining guests started running for the kitchen, and seeing the open door and no zombies ran through it and out of the house. Several of the guests, including Oz and Cordelia made attempts to run up the stairs but the zombie breakthrough had been so overwhelming that they got cut off from the stairwell.

"Oh crap. Think fast." Oz backed up with Cordelia, Devon, Larry, Sandy, and Jonathan behind him.

"Out the back, I'll cover you!" Xander said from his increasingly untenable position.

"Xander!" Cordelia cried out just as Oz grabbed her hand and lead her out the back with the others following behind him. They made it a grand total of five steps out the back door before they stopped in their tracks. Just ahead and loitering in the area were a number of zombies.

"We are so dead." Cordelia deflated.

"Back inside!" Oz said, and the others turned quickly. They made their way back to the kitchen and into the living room only to witness a spectacle they would never forget.

Xander was moving with a speed and skill matching that of a slayer. With the others safely out of sight he believed it was relatively safe to openly draw from the Force. Surrendering himself to the will of the Force, Xander moved as the Force guided his every action in fluid movements of precision and skill he'd never demonstrated before. Using the andiron as a makeshift weapon, within the span of a few seconds Xander had gone from being nearly encircled to cornering most of the zombies before unleashing a wave of Force energy that sent them flying back through the window.

Acting instantly to deal with the few zombies that had managed to get past him, Xander spun in the direction of the stairwell and launched the andiron like a spear. His aim was true as he connected with a zombie in the back of its head, at the brain stem; impaling it as the andiron imbedded itself in the wall. The zombie ceased struggling and hung limply as its two companions in front of it continued on unhindered.

He'd done all he could really do for now. He'd managed to slow them down and buy Buffy time, but not much. He needed a weapon and fast. Remembering that Buffy kept a small stash of weapons in her basement (a fact he had forgotten after the tongue lashing from his pissed off girlfriend), Xander turned and stopped dead in his tracts as he came face to face with six slack jawed faces staring right at him.

_Oh shit…_

"Whoa, Harris!" Larry praised.

"That was amazing!" A familiar feminine voice praised.

Sandy? Xander blinked in recognition.

"Xander." Sandy smiled flirtatiously.

"Excuse me?" Cordelia put her hands on her hips and directed a pointed glare at Xander then Sandy.

"No time, basement!" Xander ordered and the six spellbound teens complied at once. They managed to make it into the basement before more zombies entered the house and slowly made their way upstairs.

*************

**The Streets of Sunnydale**

There was a rustle, a scuffle further up the road obscured from sight by a hedge row and a car abandoned in the road.

"Something else?" Giles regarded the disturbance.

"Something else." Anakin strained, unable to truly make it out. "Not more of these corpses."

"I can still take care of myself in a fight, if you need a little assistance?"

Anakin managed a smile. "Thanks, but there's still chaos out here. You'll be needed elsewhere. You should see how the rest of the group is doing."

"Alright." Giles exhaled. "But for heavens sake be careful."

"You know me." Anakin winked. "Now go, I won't be long."

He advanced cautiously, tightening his grip on the Katana and checking over his shoulder to make sure the coast was clear. When Giles was out of sight he moved forward more forcefully, trying to focus on the sensation of danger ahead. The Force remained cloudy, meaning he had to use his eyes and ears more, he had to rely more on his mortal senses which left him feeling vulnerable, like a knight without armour.

He almost stumbled on the body, a Police Officer with a massive cut across his chest. It was not the work of a Zombie. He tightened his jaw and strode around the hedge into full view of the most intimidating figure he had seen in decades, a warrior radiating darkness who stood impassively, stood waiting.

A tense palpable stillness and expectation filled the warm night air with the impending confrontation of two titans about to clash. Anakin slowly advanced on the man he'd been tracking for most of the night. The large powerful warrior on the motorcycle seemingly to study him intently, his face twisted in what could be described as a sadistic smirk as he watched him approach. As Anakin drew closer he studied the warrior intently as well taking in every detail he could to gain the measure of the man.

He wore some form or archaic, horrific armor which used the bones of demons and metal plating, fused together in a sickening and disturbing fashion. Two skulls adorned on either of his shoulders of demons long since vanquished with one particularly fierce skull serving as a makeshift helmet. Anakin supposed the armor was as much for intimidation as it was for protection. He wasn't so much impressed by the armor, he'd seen better. The warrior however was an altogether different story.

He held what Anakin recognized as a great sword, its tip on the ground and his hands resting on the pommel, a casual pose betraying no fear in the face of the Jedi.

The figured chuckled darkly as Anakin came within a few feet and slowly dismounted the bike and moved forward to meet him. They stood in the open, deserted street, mere feet apart, studying the other intently. But of all the features that Anakin took in none disturbed him more than the eyes. Black pools of sheer madness that promised untold carnage and death. It confirmed what he already knew and he vowed he would not allow it to happen.

"So you're the one who's called me out," the large man said gratingly. "At last we meet."

Anakin replied tightly. "I have. Who are you? Why are you here?"

"The name is Kurgan" the large warrior said with a mocking bow. "As for why I'm here, well this town looks like one big party and I intend to crash it!" The Kurgan laughed.

"Your idea of fun has already cost innocent lives. It ends here and now." Anakin's tone was harsh and dripping with disdain. The Kurgans laughing slowly died away as regarded the warrior before him with intense, calculating scrutiny.

"And just who the hell do you think you are?"

"My name is Anakin Skywalker. Jedi Knight."

"Never heard of ya."

"How unfortunate, for you," Anakin countered.

"You don't look like much to me kid," the Kurgan snorted in derision. "But then looks can be deceiving," he added in a surprisingly more thoughtful tone. He was already starting to get bored with this conversation.

"I'm older than I look."

_That_ statement made the Kurgan study Anakin with renewed interest. "Is that a fact? Funny, you don't feel like an Immortal."

Immortal? As in immortality?" His former master had always claimed that mastery of the Dark Side was the key to Immortality. Could this man have achieved the impossible? But how?

It didn't matter, not anymore. Cheating death had only ever meant one thing to Anakin. Saving Padme. With her death Immortality had lost its appeal to him regardless of whatever he had proclaimed to Darth Sidious.

"You are not welcome here, Kurgan. It would serve your best interests to return from where you came from and never return," Anakin said in a firm tone of voice. Anakin could feel the power of the warrior rising up like a tidal surge prompting him to reach out to the Force in effort to meet its incredible power.

"Really?" The Kurgan drawled. "Cause I really don't feel like leaving."

"This town is under my protection. I will not ask you again."

"Then I guess we're done talking." The Kurgan drew his blade prompting Anakin to do the same as the two warriors launched themselves at each other.

Anakin leapt forward, he could feel he wasn't fast enough, not strong enough, his power was being leached by this black malaise but he couldn't turn back now. He had his duty, to stand and deny the right of evil, and if he were down to his dying breath he would hold to that promise. It was all he could do.

Their blades met with a harsh clang, the shock shivering his arm as the Kurgan grinned. Despite the immense size of his great sword and the weight of the blade he was parrying and cutting as if it were made of plastic. He whipped the blade around in a tight arc, making Anakin give ground as he measured his enemy, tried to get a feel for his weaknesses.

"You are not impressing me little boy." The Kurgan growled in amusement. "You chose a child's sword, you wear no armour, how did you think that was a good idea?"

"I don't need armour; you're never going to touch me."

Anakin side-stepped as the Kurgan struck again, avoiding the stroke and immediately retaliating, sweeping his sword up. The Kurgan expected it, millennia of combat leaving him very hard to surprise. He kept moving with his blade, momentum carrying him clear of the Katana. He at once reversed his attack, swinging around a 360 degree sweep that collided with Anakins Katana and knocked it aside, causing the Jedi to stumble.

"Interesting." The Kurgan twirled his blade. "What next boy?"

"Has anyone ever suggested cough medicine, for that raspy throat of yours?"

"Oh I see, the lets chat to throw me off my guard technique? Have you really sunk to such a pathetic level? Is this all this town has to offer me?"

"I can't show a little concern for my fellow man?"

"I'm going to bludgeon your friends to death with your own skull, how's that for concern?"

"Touching." Anakin flexed his arm. "I just want to say he's behind you."

"If you think I'm going to…"

Anakin pounced, with all the speed he could muster he jumped up and over the Kurgan, flipping mid air to land behind him, sword already cutting. The large warrior moved surprisingly fast, pivoting to avoid the strike and lash out with his fist. He punched Anakin hard enough to daze him, making his follow up katana thrust easily blocked.

"Bouncy aren't ya?" The Kurgan laughed, grabbing Anakins katana by the blade. He tightened his hand around it, blood seeping through his armored gloves as he chuckled.

"Pain is a reminder boy, telling us we're alive." He yanked the blade toward him, Anakin pulled back as expected leaving him open to a vicious head butt. He reeled backwards, barely recovering in time to stop a hack from the immense warrior, back stepping rapidly as he fought to regain his composure.

It was clear his saber training wasn't suited to this kind of battle. He was trained to focus his strength keenly, for speed and impact all carried through the blade. He could improvise of course, but this steel blade wasn't made for his kind of combat. His enemy should never have been able to grab his sword, it had thrown him. It wouldn't happen again.

He had to adapt, right now he was fighting on the Kurgans terms. The Immortal had been bred to battle with steel blades; his armour could shrug off glancing hits while Anakin was defenseless. He couldn't keep blocking attacks, his blade would probably snap before Kurgans huge great sword did, he had to step back and play to his own advantages.

Anakin centered, drawing what he could from the Force and made his move, flipping over the Kurgans sword as it swept towards him. He didn't stop, his feet barely touching the ground before he was airborne again, somersaulting to a new location before the Kurgan recovered. He leapt a third time, trying to keep his movements random, ahead of the Kurgan's blade. He had immense power but no speed to match, and that was something Anakin could use.

He dropped in front of the Kurgan, slicing his katana and narrowly missing the sneering face of his opponent. In return the warrior drew back his arm and threw his massive blade at Anakin, forcing the Jedi to duck as it glittered past. He snapped back up, rolling his head as the Kurgans fist narrowly missed him. It was a decoy, Anakin realized too late as the Kurgans other hand grabbed his clothes and tugged him forward, propelling him upwards and away, then with both hands launching him across the street with a crowing laugh.

Anakin landed hard, rolling to pick up momentum and flip up onto his feet. He took up a defensive posture, catching his breath, but he didn't have to worry. The Kurgan was running in to the opposite direction towards a large building, snatching his sword out of its wall and booting in its door.

"Come on Jedi, come get me!"

Anakin lurched after him, and then faltered when he recognized the building. Sunnydale General Hospital.

With a grimace he took off, chasing after the warrior into the panic stricken building.

The hospital was in lock down, something more associated with prisons in most other parts of the world, but not Sunnydale. Here the hospital was also fitted with security doors and metal gates that separated various wards from each other. Most people barely noticed, it was only in times of chaos such measures appeared.

The authorities knew there was something odd about Sunnydale, they said nothing but they took precautions. The deployment of a full heavy armored Division with the latest tanks and weapons just a few miles outside of town was more than coincidence, and the interior of the hospital, the place where the dead came and blood was stored, was also evidence of this policy.

People were confined to their wards, sealed off. The vulnerable were relatively safe in their caged off little prisons and the undead were also contained. Some people were no doubt trapped in the sealed areas with them, but that was their problem. Until SWAT teams arrived the Hospital was shut down, its corridors deserted, its staff and patients cowering elsewhere. Only two men moved freely through the building.

"Can you hear me Jedi?" The voice mocked from nowhere. "Can you find me?"

"Running away?" Anakin advanced slowly through the hallways, the floor strewn with tossed aside debris, rags and upturned beds. The lights were out, just the red emergency bulbs dimly lighting the way. "Why don't we just settle this?"

"Why the rush? Aren't you having fun?"

"I was planning a nice evening in, maybe a game of Yahtzee." Anakin quipped, channeling his Apprentice.

"Sorry to interrupt that." The Kurgan mocked. "Perhaps you should find a girl, that's my plan for later on."

"I'll send her flowers when you don't show up."

"Don't you have a girl to go home to?"

Anakin briefly saw a flicker of Padme.

"Or is it she doesn't want you anymore? Left you somewhere?" The Kurgan chuckled. "And not by your choice. You silence tells me everything."

"Not as much as my sword in your neck will tell you." Anakin grunted. "Come on you Nerf Herder, let's get this done."

"As you wish."

Anakin pushed aside a pair of doors and stepped into another long corridor, this one running down the centre of the Hospital. Warning lights flashed from several roof mounted sirens, a red strobing that flashed light and dark, light and dark, blood and night.

At the other end the Kurgan waited, his shadow sweeping with each pass of the siren light, the strong contrast of the shadows spooking Anakin's vision. With his senses unattuned the flickering of light and dark was going to be distracting.

He steeled himself as he walked forward, flexing his sword arm, checking the distance.

"Cosy isn't it?" The Kurgan smiled. "Enclosed walls and roof, not that much space to bounce around in, is there?"

Anakin cursed inwardly, the Kurgan was right, in these corridors he had less space to dodge and leap, he was fighting in a cage. This warrior had positioned him right where it suited him, and Anakin had no choice but to face him. To walk away would cost innocent lives.

"I don't need to evade you." Anakin snapped his blade to the salute. ""You're going to die here."

The Kurgan raised his own blade overhead. "You can try boy."

Anakin dropped the tip of his blade to point at the enemy, holding it horizontal across his chest, his free hand outstretched. It was the poise his old Master Obi-Wan had favored and Anakin adopted it in his honor. He smiled, even with the odds he smiled.

"There is no try."

Anakin ran, eating up the yards as he attacked, the Kurgan roaring as he jolted forward himself, slashing his massive sword in a tight arc. Anakin swerved, running along the wall, using the Force to charge across the vertical surface and launch himself sideways at the warrior. The Kurgan swept around, the black mane of his helmet flicking out behind him as Anakins blade barely missed. Their swords met, withdrew and met again; seven times they clashed in less than five seconds, both men fighting with speed and power.

"More like it!" The Kurgan bellowed. "**COME ON!**"

Anakin locked blades, raising his elbow sharply to catch the warrior, cutting his lip.

"More!" The Kurgan laughed, spitting out blood. "**MORE!**"

They crashed together, their swords dented and notched by the raw power of each strike. Anakin was making it up on the spot, drawing from every style of combat and what he had seen of the Kurgan. He kicked the warriors knee to little effect, punched him again and again, but the heavily built man was resisting his attacks and Anakin couldn't focus enough for a massive knockout blow.

"This is nothing!" The Kurgan bellowed, backhanding Anakin across several yards of flickering corridor and through a door into an inhabited section of the hospital, a dozen people cowering in the corner of the large room trembling. "I'm wasting my time!" The Kurgan seemed to disappear into the shadows.

Anakin was finally able to gain a moments respite to analyze the situation and contemplate his next moves. The Kurgans style of combat suited him well; relying on brute strength and an even more brutal style of combat with a virtual endless supply of raw power that he seemed to be able to draw from. But it couldn't be endless. There _had_ to be a limit to what he could draw upon.

Unfortunately for Anakin he was already starting to reach _his_ limits. He was expending too much energy for very little gain in turn, forcing him to draw even more heavily from his reserves. Something he had never really needed to do before in his past. And it was getting harder and harder to draw on the Force to reenergize himself and rebuild his reserves.

Anakin had rarely been forced into prolonged battles. There just simply weren't that many people who could stand against his awesome power. As Darth Vader that had become even less of a problem as his passion fuelled the Dark side allowing him to easily overwhelm anyone who stood in his way. It was only during the battle against Obi-Wan on Mustafar this had not been the case, as his old master and friend had patiently weathered the virtual tsunami of Anakin's Dark side rage like a stubborn rock refusing to be swept aside. Until Anakin had virtually exhausted himself and made a mistake.

To make matters worse while the Kurgan had come into this battle fresh, Anakin had not. Throughout the night he had battled numerous zombies and saved countless people in distress; drawing heavily from the Force the entire time. While the Force granted enhanced strength and endurance to those who called upon it, prolonged, intense use of the Force could be extremely taxing on the mind and body leaving numbing weariness and fatigue. It was much like how athletes would suddenly hit a wall in their performance. There was only so much the human body could take.

This had become even more of an issue for Anakin as he had to expend considerable effort just to fight through the interference of Ovu Mobani's power in the Force, exasperating the problem.

_You are weak, Anakin. You are but a shadow of your former self. Greatness reduced to mediocrity. You are pathetic._ A deep mechanical voice echoed in his mind. Anakin brutally tried to repress that voice but he didn't succeed.

Not now! Of all the times he didn't need to deal with this, not now!

The specter of Darth Vader, always at the back of his mind, had now broken free and come to the fore. He could feel the dark shadow in his mind feeding off his fear and doubt; becoming stronger with each passing moment. And in his weariness his will to fight it was slowly slipping away.

_Weak and misguided Jedi, cowering in fear. Is __**this**__ what the great Anakin Skywalker been reduced to?_

"Shut up." Anakin said quietly through tightly shut eyes gritted teeth. But Vader refused to yield.

_Do the lives of your new friends mean nothing? This __**thing**__ will surely kill them. You will fail them as you failed Obi-Wan. As you failed Padme. But you have the power to prevent it!_ Anakin struggled not to listen.

_Give yourself to the Dark side…It is the only way to save your friends_. Anakin felt his breath catch in his throat. Xander, Oz, Giles, Cordelia, Willow even Buffy…he had to protect them from this monster. They were all he had now, his only connections keeping him grounded in this world.

_Yes…your thoughts betray you, your feelings for them are strong…_

"**I SAID SHUT UP!!!"** Anakin snapped in rage. The few people who had been cowering around him for relative safety scrambled like startled Gizka from the increasingly unhinged young man.

_Good! Feed off their fear! Let it fuel your __**real**__ power!_

Anakin didn't respond. He was so tempted to give in he could almost feel the familiar presence of the Dark side beginning to envelop him. All he had to do was take that final step and give in. Suddenly he caught sight of something in his peripheral vision near the shattered door and he spun quickly, weapon raised to meet it as he reached back to call forth the power of the Dark side... and locked eyes with a robbed bearded figure with deep sad eyes staring back at him.

_Obi-Wan?_

At once Anakin was assaulted with an overwhelming sense of shame and guilt, snapping him out of his rage. He lowered his head and looked away from the man he had betrayed and murdered. He couldn't bear the look in those eyes; the disappointment, the accusation, the truth.

Betrayer, murderer, monster, those eyes said to him even if the figure hadn't.

_Your destiny lies with me Skywalker. Obi-Wan knew this to be true._ And yet in that moment of self loathing Anakin discovered a fundamental truth hidden by the deception of the Dark side. In order to save his friends he had to first save _himself_. Giving into the seductive _easy_ power of the Dark side might deal with the immediate threat. But ultimately _he_ would become the monster they would ultimately have to destroy. And with that realization he found the strength to resist the call of the Dark side, to fight back.

He looked up to meet the eyes of his old friend and Master, willing to face the accusing stare he knew he rightly deserved. But what he saw was curiously not what he expected. The eyes were bright and understanding, filled with sympathy and love for one who viewed him as his brother, encouraging him-- encouraging_ Anakin_ to fight. Could the part that was Vader have so distorted what he had seen? Twisting his perception of the truth to weaken him and allowing the Dark side to once again take hold? His feelings told him this was true.

That one simple act of encouragement, of compassion, from the one person who should have condemned him to his fate filled him with a sense of hope; that there truly could be redemption and forgiveness for someone like him. It strengthened his resolve.

With renewed purpose he stretched out to the Force. Anakin struggled to reach a calm, serene center in his thoughts. Breathing deeply while slowing his beating heart he slowly began to push away the malignant power of the Dark side. Raging passion slowly gave way to calm serenity as the fog began to lift from his mind. But perfect serenity seemed just beyond his reach…_always_ beyond his reach.

It was so hard. It was so very hard. He had fallen to the brink so fast, nearly being swallowed whole. Until now he hadn't realized how far he had come to nearly being seduced yet again. But as he slowly pulled himself away and his mind cleared he could see just how close he had come.

_We will meet again Anakin. You will never truly escape me._ The shadow of Vader whispered in his mind before disappearing where Anakin banished him.

With his emotions under fragile control and the monster beaten back Anakin looked toward the figure standing next to him…and frowned when he saw nothing but empty air. In that instant the Force screamed out a warning. Acting instantly and without hesitation Anakin rolled out of the way a mere second before a sword completely exploded through the drywall behind him; right where his head would have been.

Completing his roll the Jedi knight turned to face his opponent head on as the Kurgan plowed through the weakened drywall effortlessly.

"You were starting to bore me." The Kurgan said stepping into the strobing red emergency lights. His patented sadistic smirk etched on his face.

Anakin kept his face firmly impassive as he brought his weapon up into a high guard stance and rallied the last of his reserves. He needed to rethink his strategy. Trying to physically overpower the Kurgan obviously wasn't working. He needed a different approach.

"You can't run from me forever boy!" The Kurgan bellowed. "The longer you run the more tired you'll be when you die!"

"I'm not running." Anakin faced him. "I know where I stand."

He lashed out with the Force, his mind still too clouded to gain a perfect connection but now serene enough to tap into more of the awesome power bequeathed to him. A wave of energy picked up the Kurgan and smashed him hard into a concrete wall, the blocks bulging as he staggered to the ground in a haze of grey dust.

He took two leaping steps and met the Kurgan again, both swords once more flashing in the disorientating light. Anakin had much more control now, more focus, more precision. He could see the Kurgans moves more clearly; each strike was almost in slow motion, so easy to dodge.

He leaned sharply back, the massive sword gliding a mere centimeter above his face as the Kurgan missed, before lunging with his own sword. The Katana caught the Kurgans chest, sliding past his armour and drawing blood before he fully turned aside, the big warrior snarling in surprise more than pain.

"I have you now." Anakin grinned darkly. "Last chance to come with me quietly."

"You're still playing by the rules." The warrior mocked. "That's why you're going to lose."

"I'm not the one bleeding all over the floor."

"No." The Kurgan suddenly shot an arm out to the side and seized something from the shadows, a screaming pregnant woman Anakin in his distracted state had not been able to sense. "But if you don't back off she's going to start bleeding too."

Anakin froze, his eyes narrowing. "If you touch her…"

"What? Like this?" The Kurgan raised his eyebrows, then licked the panicked woman's neck, relishing the moment. "Nothing tastes better than fear."

"This is between you and me!"

"Actually she is between you and me." The Kurgan smiled widely. "Like I said, why bother with rules."

"I thought you were a warrior, I thought you wanted a challenge?"

"I wanted a good time; maybe my new friend can help me out with that?" He leaned closer to her ear. "I don't mind that extra weight you've got, it'll make things more interesting. More cushion for the pushing I say!"

Anakin could feel his rage boiling up again, the frustration of it, the pure anger at the mockery this man was making of him. The voice inside was starting to sound again, his every heartbeat sounding like the thump of the Dark Lords armored footsteps drawing ever closer. He was breathing shallowly, rasping, and every intake of breath sounded more and more mechanical to his ears.

"You will not have her!" He stated forcefully.

"Stop me."

"You should not underestimate my power."

Anakin stretched out his hand and felt the Kurgan's throat. From ten yards away he pressed, tightening the grip around his neck. He could hear him choking, the warriors eyes widening.

"How…" He coughed. "Can…?"

"Your strength, your experience, your anger, it's all insignificant compared to the power of the Force."

He lifted the Kurgan off his feet, the warrior still clutching the screaming woman and lifting her with him. Anakin tightened his grip, growing more and more angry as his opponent refused to die. He could hear cartilage breaking as the Kurgans windpipe folded inwards, yet still he lived. He had one choice left, drawing from within he prepared to fry the man with Force lightning, and the woman too. She was an unfortunate casualty.

Even as he thought it he knew it was wrong. He hesitated, pausing just long enough to hear a gentle whisper in his heart. The quiet but immensely powerful voice that was always just beyond his senses, the words of the wisest of the old Jedi.

_Find another way Anakin._

He closed his eyes, releasing the Kurgan, and in doing so finally purging the taint of the Dark side.

"I will master Qui Gonn." Anakin whispered.

He raised his gaze again, the Kurgan obviously hurt and stumbling, his arm still around the pregnant woman but loose now. This was his moment. He struck with the Force, pulling the woman towards him while also pushing the Kurgan away. It took extreme precision, being as gentle as he could with the woman and as brutal as possible with the Kurgan.

The Pregnant woman fell into his arms, Anakin caching her as the Kurgan was smashed through a set of Elevator doors into the empty shaft behind. He grabbed onto the edges with both hands, yelling a stream of abuse at the Jedi as he teetered on the edge. His massive great sword disappearing into the shaft behind him.

"Wait here." Anakin moved the woman aside, then raised his sword. With the Force guiding his hand he threw the blade, a long silver bullet that pierced the Kurgans armour and cut through his heart.

The warrior grunted, looking down at the sword buried up to its hilt in his chest, then chuckled as he toppled backwards. Anakin pulled the sword back to his hand with the Force as the Kurgans body bounced down the lift shaft to the bottom, landing with a thud.

"Who was that?" The Pregnant woman squeaked.

"I don't know fully, but he can't hurt anyone now." Anakin assured. "Come with me, I'll keep you safe."

"Thank you, I… Thank you."

Anakin lead her away, pausing for a second as he heard the rasping hiss of a ventilator in one of the rooms, the mechanical breathing forcing him to suppress a wave of bitterness.

No matter how far down he pushed it, it was always still there.

*******

In the dark, laying in a pile of rubbish and bleeding heavily, the Kurgan broke a smile. He was immortal, and had neither use nor need for a heart. Today had been an interesting day, but not nearly as interesting as he was going to make the next days.

********

**The Summers Home**

**Revello Dr. Sunnydale California**

In the basement Xander and Oz frantically searched for any weapons while Larry, Devon and Jonathan firmly barricaded the door. Cordelia and Sandy simply stood off to the side and eyed the young man with looks of fury and awe respectively.

"So ah, Xander?" Larry called from the doorway, "I know you guys are into some weird shit, but…what the hell were those things?"

"Zombies," Xander answered absently. He was too focused on his search for weapons to even attempt some lame story.

"Zombies…_zombies_ he says." Larry shook his head with a snort.

"I buy it," Jonathan said. "I mean a lot of really weird things happen here. Take Halloween for instance. I mean I went as…"

"Can we keep the traumatic memories down to a minimal? I would rather you didn't remind me of that night, or the fact I paid twice what that outfit was actually worth!" Cordelia said with a sickly sweet smile that wasn't fooling anyone. Jonathan immediately went quiet with a gulp.

Sandy shook her head in amazement. "How did you do that?" she directed her question to Xander.

"Do what?" Xander asked as he pulled out a short sword from behind the book case.

"When you were going like all…super fast and stuff...and...and that thing you did with your hand that made those zombies fly through the window. I...I I've never seen anything like it!" Sandy beamed excitedly.

"I'd kind of like to know that too," Oz muttered in agreement.

Xander didn't answer right away; instead he tested the grip of the weapon and took a few practice swings before frowning. Short swords weren't his thing really, but it would have to do. He turned to face the others.

"I can't talk about it right now. Let's just leave it at that." Xander said simply. He wasn't going to lie to them. They were his friends and they deserved to know the truth but his Master had made it very clear he wasn't to discuss his training with them till he felt comfortable, and that still applied even now.

Thankfully no one protested, however Cordelia snorted and mumbled something under her breath while Sandy simply looked disappointed. Oz was studying Xander with keen interest. He'd known that something had been off about Xander lately. Well maybe 'off' wasn't the right description, but more 'in tune' was a better way of putting it. Oz had had his suspicions for a while now but he'd kept them to himself. It wasn't his place to blurt out the man's business. Oz nodded slowly, a sure sign for anyone who knew him that he was going to let the matter drop.

For now.

"We're getting out of here." Xander took charge of the situation before they could ask more awkward questions. He moved to the stairwell but stopped short when Oz put a hand on his shoulder to stop him then moved past him toward the door.

"_I'm_ on point," Oz said firmly. Xander nodded while the three young men at the door moved down the stairs and out of his way.

"I don't hear anything. Do you guys? Should we check?" Cordelia asked. Sandy, Devon, and Jonathan shook their heads in the negative.

"Let's go for it," Oz said. He opened the door slowly to look out and was relieved to see no zombies. He opened it wider and looked the other way and exhaled in relief when he saw no more zombies. It looked like the coast was clear but they all could hear noises coming from upstairs. Oz turned back to the others and gave a meaningful glance as the others slowly filed out behind him.

Cordelia spotted a pair of ski poles and handed one to Oz. "Here."

"Thanks." Oz nodded.

Larry grabbed a baseball bat just as the group filed out towards the hall and the stairs. Just as they reached the kitchen door Oz went rigid and gripped his weapon tighter. Xander and Cordelia acted instantly coming to either side of him while Larry, Devon, Jonathon and Sandy held back. Suddenly Giles appeared at the doorway but stopped abruptly when he nearly stumbled into three sets of weapons pointed at various parts of his anatomy.

"Cordelia....Xander, Oz, It's me! It's me!"

"How do we know it's really you and not zombie Giles?" Cordelia responded.

"Cordelia, do stop being so tiresome," Giles retorted.

"It's him." Cordelia breathed a sigh of relief.

All three teenagers drew back their weapons while the noise upstairs grew louder as they slowly moved to the stairs again.

"I think the dead man's party moved upstairs," Oz reasoned.

"That makes sense. It's the mask in Joyce's bedroom they're after," Giles explained.

"Mask?" Cordelia asked.

Giles nodded "The mask holds the power of a…zombie demon, called Ovu Mobani—Evil Eye. I don't think we can get past them."

"Well, what happens if they get the mask?" Oz asked.

"If one of them puts it on, they become the demon incarnate," Giles explained.

"Worse than a zombie?" Cordelia asked.

Giles looked at Cordelia as if she'd grown another head. "Yes, worse."

"We need a plan then," Xander said looking up the stairs.

"Got one in mind?" Oz asked.

"Yeah I do." Xander nodded. "I want you guys to get out of here. I'll deal with this."

"That's not a good plan, Xander," Giles admonished. "We need to work together."

"We can't do that while watching these four." Xander countered with a wave toward Jonathan, Larry, Devon and Sandy.

Larry crossed his arms over his chest. "What are you saying, Harris, that I can't handle myself?"

Once upon a time Xander might have been intimidated by Larry. Not so anymore.

"Against this?" Xander pointed upstairs. "Yes," he stated bluntly.

"Enough, both of you," Giles said sternly, cutting Larry off before he could respond. "This is not a game and the less people involved the better."

"I'm really fond of running. I'm no fighter," Sandy said weakly.

"Me neither," Devon added with a shrug.

"So what do you want us to do?" Jonathan croaked. "We can't go out there! There could be more of them!"

"Of course not." Giles groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just…stay back, behind us."

"It would so be nice if we had our super hero friend right now," Cordelia replied in exasperation.

"Unfortunately Anakin has been detained dealing with another matter," Giles explained.

"What could be more important than this?" Cordelia asked bruskly.

"He mentioned something far worse than Ovu Mobani. He gave no other details. I'm inclined to trust his judgment."

Xander surprisingly felt torn on the subject. He had faith that his master could handle anything the Hellmouth threw at him. But still, he wanted to be there by his side. They way it should have been, Master and Apprentice, fighting side by side. Anakin was the first person to truly believe in him. Teaching Xander a variety of skills that would allow the young man to reach his full potential, opening his mind to the Force.

He owed Anakin so much for that.

But at the same time his friends needed him here and he would never, could never abandon them. He hoped future battles would never force him to divide his loyalties between his Master and his friends. But he had a feeling that somewhere down the line, he would have to make a choice. He didn't want to entertain the thought, he needed them both equally. But right now he pushed the thought away and focused on the task at hand, just as his master had trained him to do, they had a big bad to take down.

***********

In Joyce's bedroom things eventually deteriorated. Joyce was tending to Pat who was sitting on the footrest at the same time the zombies eventually overpowered Buffy at the door, knocking it open violently. Joyce fell to the floor and back peddled away from the two zombies but there were several more behind them.

"Res publica Undo!" Willow chanted from next to Buffy. A solid wave of energy coalesced and slammed into the first zombie knocking it and three more of its companions back out the door and through the far wall into the bathroom in a shower of exploding tiles and debris.

"Oh no..." Joyce groaned when she saw the massive hole in the wall.

"Willow!" Buffy directed an angry glare to Willow.

"Eep, sorry!" Willow replied meekly.

In that instant another zombie stormed the room. It backhand punched Buffy sending her into the wall. With its back turned, Willow jumped on the zombie's back, but the undead creature effortlessly slung her off and onto the bed where she rolled off the far side.

Pat had been watching the fight in a sort of daze but her eyes soon fell on the mask which had fallen on the floor and locked onto it. She stood up; her gaze still locked on the mask and stepped over toward it. Joyce saw her stand and looked at her in amazement. She got up off the floor and moved to Pat's side.

"Oh, God! We thought you were—" Joyce tried to hug Pat, but Pat grabbed her outstretched arm and pushed her hard on to the bed. Joyce rolled off of it and landed next to Willow. Pat bent down and picked up the mask and held it to her face as she stood up. The eyes suddenly began to glow a bright red and the mask integrated itself into Pat's face. The zombie that Buffy was still battling suddenly stopped fighting and fell to its knees, screaming and cowering.

"Oh. This is not good," Willow whimpered.

"What's going on?" Joyce asked, perplexed.

"When big scary monsters get scared it can only mean things are about to get really, _really_ bad." Willow rose quickly and readied her energies to call on a defensive spell when the demon suddenly turned its attention to her, transfixing her with its stare.

"I live, you die," Mobani's double voice echoed menacingly.

Buffy kicked the zombie in the chest and sent him back into the hallway then spun and immediately moved to get between Willow and Ovu Mobani. Mobani turned to her and its eyes flashed, mesmerizing Buffy on the spot. The demon backhand punched her, sending Buffy flying into a high arc against the closet door. Thankfully whatever it was wore off quickly and she swiftly rallied her wits from her slight daze. She raised herself onto her hands and knees and saw Willow backing away fearfully from Mobani.

"Willow, don't look!"

Mobani's eyes flashed again at Willow and she froze on the spot. The demon strode over toward her and grabbed her by the jaw and the back of the head. Buffy lunged at Mobani and with considerable strength tackled the demon and dove out the window. The two slowly rolled off the roof and into the backyard.

********

The crash of glass and the sound of bodies rolling on the roof and into the backyard were unmistakable. Xander instantly knew it was Buffy. A moment ago he felt a wave of vertigo translated through the Force, nearly overwhelm him and causing him to almost retch. Something bad had just happened but before the others could ask what was wrong with him he waved them off. It had only lasted for a moment before passing. But now as he regained his senses and the Force began to clear he realized the fight had moved outside.

"Buffy!" Xander cried out. He missed Cordelia's jealous glare burning a hole in the back of his head at his worried cry.

"Out back!" Giles warned.

The seven of them had been making their way up the stairwell but with the sound of conflict now coming from the backyard they instantly turned and moved back the way they came. A zombie appeared from the dining room and grabbed Giles by the neck. The older Englishman simply pushed his entire body weight into his shoulder and rammed the zombie knocking both of them to the ground.

The zombie recovered faster but not fast enough before it found itself squaring off against Xander.

"Oz, Larry, Cordelia, get upstairs and check on Willow and Ms. Summers. I'll deal with this!" Xander ordered sternly.

Oz didn't hesitate. He was seriously worried about Willow and it showed. He bounded up the stairs two at a time with urgency, Larry and Devon right behind him.

Cordelia hesitated for only a moment, wondering when Xander had become such a commanding presence before she too moved up the stairs, but not before she wondered if Xander would ever make the same effort for her.

_The white knight going to rescue his precious Buffy!_ Cordelia thought jealously. She moved up the stairs but not with the same urgency as the others.

The zombie was in a kneeling position by the time Xander was on him. The young Padawan didn't even give the undead creature a chance to stand before Xander lashed out with a viscous snap kick that knocked the demon upright with the sheer Force of his enhanced blow. The demon raised its arms to grab the young man but Xander cut off each arm at the elbow in quick succession before severing the head of the demon with a graceful stroke of his blade. A final backspin kick knocked the body back towards the front door where it lay unmoving.

Xander turned to Sandy and Jonathan kneeling over the downed Watcher. "You two stay here and watch him," Xander ordered. Both nodded with awed looks on their faces staring back at him. Xander ignored them and turned his attention back to Giles. "You okay, Giles?" Xander asked.

"I'll be fine, go help Buffy!" Giles coughed as he messaged his neck.

Xander didn't hesitate and bolted for the kitchen.

"Xander, tell Buffy Mobani's power lies in his eyes, his eyes, Xander!" Giles cried out to his retreating back.

***********

Willow was slumped against the dresser in a daze with Joyce kneeling over her.

"It's ok honey, come on" Joyce said in a comforting voice as she helped Willow get to her wobbly feet. At the same moment the zombie that Buffy had been battling earlier reappeared in the doorway. It spotted the two young women and malevolently made its way toward them. Willow spotted the creature coming up behind Joyce and her eyes went wide. But before she could shout a warning the demon suddenly arched back and was slammed into a nearby wall. Willow and Joyce looked up to see Oz impaling the creature with a ski pole. The young man withdrew his weapon and moved to stab the zombie again but the demon grabbed the ski pole and began grappling with the young man. Larry appeared at that moment to assist and delivered a powerful enough haymaker on the demons temple that Oz could almost feel the shockwave from the impact. Larry stepped back for only a moment to hand Joyce his bat. His fists were all he needed.

The demon released its grip and staggered for a second then came on again. Oz ducked under a blow and stabbed the demon in the gut but it didn't faze it. Undaunted the demon grabbed the ski pole protruding from its gut and snapped it in half with an angry roar then tossed it aside. Oz and Larry smoothly traded places with Larry hammering the demon with a series of jabs, hooks and uppercuts with considerable skill. He managed to push the demon back toward the door only to see it arch it's back again as Cordelia entered the fight by impaling the demon in the lower back with her ski pole. Working together the two were quickly able to push the zombie back towards the door.

Oz moved to Willow's side. "Babe, I was worried. Are you okay?" he asked.

"I think so." Willow rubbed the back of her head.

"What happened?" Oz asked.

"The mask, Pat put it on and then she attacked us. We have to help Buffy!" Willow pleaded.

"Xander's already out there," Oz said.

"What!?" Willow was instantly ready to run downstairs.

Unfortunately fate had other ideas. At that moment four more zombies appeared; the very ones Willow had in fact blasted with her magical assault. Cordelia, realizing she was trapped between two enemies acted quickly by kicking the first zombie into the room then turning around to slam the door shut and put her body weight behind it. However she didn't have the strength to hold off four undead demons and the door was being forced open when a rotted arm began snaking though.

"Devon! Unlike the time we were dating why don't you do something useful other than standing around! Some. Help. Would. Be. Appreciated!" Cordelia exclaimed through gritted teeth.

Devon snapped out of his stupor and moved to the door to aid Cordelia. Oz and Willow ducked out of the way of Larry and the first zombie exchanging blows then moved quickly to the door as well. Joyce gripped the baseball bat tighter and with a determined look on her face moved to assist Larry.

******

Buffy groaned in pain. She'd had the wind knocked out of her when she fell off the roof but thankfully Pat's body had cushioned the blow. Now as she made her way to her hands and knees she spotted the shovel she had used to bury the cat the previous day. Behind her Ovu Mobani had already risen to its feet and began coming for her again. Buffy snatched the shovel, quickly shot to her feet, turned and raised it with the intent to strike, but the demon flashed its eyes again, freezing her on the spot. Taking a second to revel in its moment of triumph Mobani moved to snap the young girl's neck, when suddenly, something powerful slammed into the demons back; knocking it to the ground on its stomach. The demon turned to the direction where the attack came from and snarled at a young man on the back porch.

Xander lowered his hand from his Force push and gripped his weapon tighter. He looked to Buffy only to see she was still mesmerized on the spot and vulnerable.

_No one hurts her; it's just **not** gonna happen!_ Xander swore to himself.

Reaching out to the Force Xander launched himself in a Force enhanced jump directly at the demon, weapon raised over his head for the coup de grace. The demon Mobani snarled and quickly made its way to its feet just in time to catch Xander's arm, arresting his downward stroke. The demon head butted the young man, momentarily stunning him then kicked the short sword from his grasp. The demon grabbed the young Padawan by the collar of his shirt then tossed him in a high arc near the bushes. Xander landed with a thud just shy of the bushes and rolled back to face the demon, with the intent of springing right back at Ovu Mobani when a flash from its eyes paralyzed him on the spot.

Mobani laughed in triumph.

"Hey Pat!"

Ovu Mobani snapped its head around to look at Buffy in surprise. Buffy slammed the shovel into the demon's eyes, embedding it deep in its head. The demon grabbed the shovel handle out of pure reflex and tried to pull it out but simply couldn't.

"Made you look," Buffy snickered.

In a flash of brilliant light Ovu Mobani disappeared.

Buffy wasted no time in savoring her victory and quickly made her way to Xander's side and knelt down.

"Xander, are you okay?" Buffy asked in concern.

The young Jedi padawan shook the cobwebs from his head and stared up at Buffy in confusion. "What happened?" he asked, groggily trying to get to his feet.

"Add one more for the home team." Buffy pulled his arm over her shoulders and effortlessly helped him to his feet. Xander wobbled for a moment but she held him steady. She smiled warmly at him. "It wears off after a few moments."

"Thanks Buff," Xander said quietly. Buffy studied him carefully; there was just something off about his voice; as of it held a tone of defeat. But she couldn't be reading that right, could she? They'd won hadn't they?

"Are you sure you're alright?" Buffy asked in concern.

"I'll be fine." Xander smiled reassuringly.

No, he _wasn'_t fine. He'd failed; repeatedly. First off, he'd been complacent and dropped his guard. He hadn't been paying attention to the Force as he should have, which allowed Ovu Mobani to go unchecked until the demon struck. Which made this entire situation his fault, and people had nearly been killed because of his failure. He was lucky no one had been killed; he didn't know if he would have been able to live with that.

Let's see, what else? Ah, yes, he'd failed to keep his anger under control. He'd failed to act rationally; and he had _miserably_ failed to tell Cordelia the truth. But wait there was more! He had _utterly_ failed his Master by allowing his secret to be exposed. Considering the situation and how things could have played out that may not have been fair, he had been partially effective in deciding the outcome of the battle, but not in the way he had hoped. It still stung, so he still tallied it as a failure.

And then there was the most important failure of all.

He had failed to save Buffy….

What good were these powers if he couldn't use them to save the ones he cared about? His list of failures tonight _alone_ went on and on. He was so angry with himself that he could barely think straight. And for a brief moment he wondered if he had made a mistake in accepting this Jedi thing. He wasn't a hero. He didn't beat the big bad, Buffy did, as she always did. His actions tonight had proven he wasn't cut out for it. He could feel his confidence plummeting because of his repeated failures. But he kept it inside, silently, and just smiled at Buffy. He felt so ashamed of himself he could barely maintain eye contact but he forced himself to less she grow suspicious of his inner turmoil.

Buffy returned his smile. She knew there was something going on under that brave front he was putting on. She wasn't completely convinced by it but she wasn't going to press the issue. She was so proud of him. He had been so brave tonight and a big help in rallying the others, watching her back and in the one moment when it really counted, distracting the demon and saving her life. But most of all she was just glad her Xander shaped friend was safe and sound.

"Come on, let's get back inside." Buffy put her head on his shoulder and hugged him tighter. They moved toward the steps with Xander disentangling himself from Buffy and moving under his own strength.

"By the way Xander, how did you get out here so fast?"

Xander smirked mirthlessly, "If I told you I flew through the air would you believe me?"

Buffy let out the first real laugh she'd had since coming home. As the two young heroes went inside she couldn't help but feel a sense of hopefulness that things were going to be okay, that things just might be getting back on track. And leave it to Xander to be the one to make her feel better about it all.

*******

In Joyce's bedroom Larry and Joyce were still beating a zombie senseless with Devon, Oz, Willow and Cordelia pushing their body weight into the door for dear life when suddenly, with a flash of light, the zombie disappeared. The attack at the door also ceased abruptly.

"What happened?" Joyce asked in surprise. She and Larry exchanged confused looks.

Oz looked around and nodded. "I think they're gone."

"You mean it's finally over, Oz?" Devon asked in strained voice.

"Think so," Oz responded carefully. He gently nudged the others aside and opened the door to find no zombies. The others sighed in relief.

And just like that it was over.

The group cautiously moved down stairs to find Sandy and Jonathan slowly helping Giles to his feet.

"You okay, Giles?" Willow asked.

"I shall live to fight another day." Giles massaged his sore throat gingerly with a grimace.

"Buffy?" Joyce called out. She ran down the stairs, through the living room looking for Buffy and spotted her and Xander coming through the kitchen.

"Honey!" Joyce ran over and embraced her daughter tightly. Buffy returned her embrace.

They released their embrace and stepped apart. "Are you alright?" Joyce asked.

"Yeah," Buffy nodded.

"So is this a typical day at the office?" Joyce asked.

"No. This was nothing," Buffy said.

"So this is normal?" Larry asked.

The Scoobies, Giles and Joyce faced the four amazed newcomers.

"More or less," Xander shrugged.

"So those were demons?" Jonathan asked.

The four Scoobies, Giles and Joyce shared nervous glances. "No. Those were zombies. The mask was the Demon," Xander finally responded.

"Okay, I'm not going crazy," Jonathan said nearly panting.

"I think I'm going to go home now," Sandy said, "And try to pretend none of this ever happened." She looked as if she was going to ask Xander to escort her home but Cordelia's glare made her think twice.

"Yeah me too," Devon agreed.

The Scoobies shared knowing glances at those remarks.

"Ignorance will only get you killed. Or worse," Xander responded.

"Wow Xander," Buffy smiled in appraisal. "When did you become the wise master spouting out meaningful platitudes?" Buffy asked. She of course missed the evil glare from Cordelia for stealing her question.

Xander shrugged. "Live in Sunnydale long enough and you pick up a few things."

"You know, it's been real Summers, but I gotta go. I'll make sure these three get home safely," Larry said, breaking up the interplay between the two friends. "We'll talk later after I've had time to process all of this." Larry ushered them out the destroyed front door leaving the Scoobies, Joyce and Giles alone.

Buffy sighed as she took stock of the destroyed house. "Why doesn't anyone ever want to help with the cleanup?"

******


	12. Chapter 9 part 1

**Chosen Ones Chapter 9**

**Opening Moves.**

**The Enclave**

It had been two days since the infamously named; 'dead man's party' and things were starting to settle down. The repairs to the Summers household would be complete before the end of the week. And the possibility of Buffy coming back to school looked very promising, now that the superintendant for schools was siding with Ms. Summers. Within those two days Xander had finally come clean with Anakin; telling him the entire truth of what had happened; particularly his failure. _Everything_. Xander held nothing back; he even went so far as to add his own analysis of his performance, which generally, rated quite poorly. When it was all said and done, Anakin simply didn't say _anything_.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Xander asked perplexed.

"And say what?" Anakin asked.

"That I should have been paying attention? That I should have been armed and ready to meet the threat instead of being complacent? That I could have stopped this before it started?"

"Why tell you something you have already learned on your own?"

The two men, Master and Apprentice were strolling through the plush gardens of Anakin's home, with the morning sun just beginning to peak out over the horizon; casting a vibrant morning hue over the magnificent gardens of the Enclave. Since school had resumed it was a rarity to find Xander here so early in the morning, but today had been different. Something clearly had been bothering the young man and he needed guidance. Anakin, ever the patient Master, didn't interrupt his young apprentice as he recounted everything that had happened in total, brutal honesty.

"I don't understand," Xander replied after a long moment, as he digested what his master and friend had just said.

"Don't you?" Anakin countered with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, Master, but your vast wisdom escapes me," Xander quipped.

"Unfortunately your wit doesn't," Anakin replied as he stopped and faced Xander directly. "Stop and think for a minute, Xander."

"I _am_ thinking." Xander groaned in self pity. "And right now I'm thinking I suck."

Anakin repressed a groan of his own. This was a bit _too_ familiar. Xander, in moments such as these, reminded the older Jedi of how he once was in his youth. Complaining because things weren't fair, whining becomes things weren't going his way. Obi-Wan rarely had the patience for it, but his usual means of breaking Anakin from these moods typically involved harsh lectures and endless reminders of his duty …all of which were usually followed by a warm smile and a good joke to ease the tension between them when the moment passed.

Anakin repressed a sigh of his own. He missed those days as much as he missed his old friend.

"I suck," Xander whined, bringing Anakin back to the present. "I don't know if I'm cut out for this whole 'hero' thing."

"I too have made mistakes Xander; mistakes that have cost innocent lives. Too many innocent lives…" Anakin trailed off with a haunted look on his face that his apprentice; who was so consumed in his own internal musings, completely missed.

"Maybe but I don't think you screwed up quite like this."

Anakin suppressed a scowl of frustration. He had to do something about this now. Anakin was experienced enough to recognize that the typical Jedi approach of a lecture wasn't going to work on Xander, much as it had never worked on him. Xander, Force help him, was _too_ much like his younger self. Clearly Xander wasn't grasping the most important lesson here as he was too preoccupied with his own self-pity. So Anakin decided on a different approach, one that still required a stern hand but would nudge his mind back on the true issue at hand.

"Spare me your whining. I will have none of it," Anakin said darkly.

Xander went quiet and regarded his master warily. He knew that tone of voice very well. That was his Masters 'shut up and listen' tone of voice and Xander complied at once.

"Heed my words carefully, Xander. For what I am about to tell you is another very important lessons in not just being a Jedi, but life itself," Anakin said. Xander nodded and listened carefully.

"There are some things in life that cannot be taught to us in training, but can only be learned through experience. With each choice we make; through our triumphs and failures, we learn, we acquire knowledge and understanding, and we gain experience. If we are mindful of the present and recognize our shortcomings and learn from them, we can ensure that we do not repeat our mistakes. Do you understand this?"

"I…I think so," Xander said cautiously.

"Yes I could berate you all day for your many failures in that battle, but you already know what you need to do to ensure more favorable outcomes in the future. I sense you have spent a lot of time thinking on them and I agree completely with your analysis. So there is not much more I can add there that would be useful. The point is that you know what you did wrong and what you must do to make sure it never happens again. So _do_ it."

"Okay, but—"

"No!" Anakin said firmly. "There is no 'but'. Learn from your mistakes Xander. But do not dwell on them too heavily, for if you do they will eat away at you."

"So…you're saying I should accept it, learn from it and move on?"

"Yes," Anakin said.

Xander's annoyance threatened to flare at the rebuke but he struggled to keep his emotions under control. His Master, the great Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. What did he know of royally screwing up? Since arriving in Sunnydale the larger than life Master of the Force hadn't put a step wrong. Every calculating decision had been executed with masterful planning and perfect execution. Xander envied him for that. He knew it was unreasonable to expect to operate on that level so soon but he couldn't help but be slightly jealous at the seeming casual ease with which Anakin did _everything_.

"That's easier said than done," Xander replied finally as he pushed his annoyance and envy aside, then he sighed heavily. "A woman died because of me," He added in a quiet voice.

"Take heart young one. That's one of the burdens we must bear. We can't save everyone no matter how hard we try. Believe me I know." Anakin replied in an equally soft voice.

"It's still my fault. She died because I couldn't save her," Xander replied bitterly.

Anakin tilted his head slightly as something occurred to him. "Xander, how many people were at that party?"

Xander shrugged, "I don't know, twenty maybe thirty people. I didn't really keep count."

Anakin nodded thoughtfully then asked, "How many of _them_ still live?"

Xander was silent, seeming to contemplate what his master was saying, it gave Anakin his opening.

"True you were initially caught off guard but when you did respond you took control of the situation, and fought off an overwhelming numbers of zombies long enough for everyone else to escape to safety."

"I think Buffy had more to do with that then I did," Xander countered.

"You don't give yourself enough credit," Anakin pressed. Xander simply looked away.

"And not even Jedi are perfect…"

The young man was quiet for several moments but Anakin could feel his inner turmoil. The shock of learning that an innocent life had been taken, whether directly or indirectly through your own actions, despite your best efforts, was perhaps one of the hardest things to accept. The Force worked as it willed, gifting a chosen few men and woman with its power to do good and shape the future as they served it. But that still didn't stop people from dying. Xander had to accept this. The alternative….no. It was best he didn't think that, he would never allow it to come to pass. He had given his padawan something to reflect on and he needed to accept it on his own in his own time. All Anakin could do was to be patient with his apprentice.

There's one more thing," Xander replied in a strained voice. "Something I haven't mentioned yet."

What is it?" Anakin asked.

Cordelia and Oz…as well as a few other people… saw me."

"Saw you?" Anakin echoed neutrally.

"As in, they saw me fight off those zombies in Buffy's living room, using the Force."

Anakin nodded.

"I'm sorry. I know you're not comfortable with telling people yet. I didn't know what else to do."

"Again, Xander, you have nothing to be sorry about. Truthfully I had anticipated something like this might happen. I'm actually surprised it's taken this long for them to notice. Will they talk?"

Xander shot Anakin with his lopsided grin, "Luckily for us this is where my less than stellar reputation actually works in my favor. If someone talked, who would believe them? _Me_, Xander Harris, the geek with super powers? It's like something out of comic book, like spider-man. No one would believe it," he answered confidently.

"What?" Anakin asked with his usual perplexed expression on his face whenever Xander made one of his _many_ cultural references.

"Oh, um, a guy, much like me, total geek, who gets bitten by a radioactive spider and…." Xander paused. "You know what, Master. I think I'll just lend you some comics, okay?" Xander quickly said when he saw that Anakin had _that_ look again. "But trust me on this one, they won't talk." Xander affirmed.

"Very well, And Cordelia?" Anakin asked.

Xander sighed with a sense of unease, "I don't know. Unlike the others she actually knows who to talk to about all this stuff. And since I _haven't_ been paid a visit by a nervous, stammering witch and a suspicious Slayer in the past two days, it makes me think she hasn't said anything…yet."

Anakin nodded in understanding.

"What are we gonna do?" Xander asked.

"We will deal with the consequences as they happen," Anakin answered firmly. "It will soon be time for the others to learn of your new skills."

"Given how Cordelia reacted, I don't think that's gonna go down well."

"Secrets often have the nasty habit of coming out at the most inconvenient of times," Anakin added. "I seek to avoid this."

"Then why did we go the whole secrecy route at all?" Xander asked.

Lately Anakin had been asking himself that very same question. Keeping secrets had become second nature to him during his time as a Sith Lord. During those dark years, it had become as natural as calling upon the Dark side of the Force. It had impeded his ability to trust others. As Darth Vader he had only seen people as expendable pawns or a means to an end. Casually used to further his agenda and then discarded without a thought. It was something he had simply grown accustomed to. Even though he had returned to the light, some elements of thinking like a Sith were proving to be a little harder to break than he thought they would. Unfortunately it had already led to a big mistake in his new life; like once again taking another secret apprentice. He would have to come clean and soon with the others in his taking Xander as his apprentice, as he should have been from the start. Based on what he had learned of their past, Xanders fears weren't entirely misplaced. Seen with the wrong point of view his actions could very easily be misunderstood. And that could lead to a lot of unnecessary tension and mistrust they didn't need.

They _had _to come clean.

"A mistake on my part. I was acting in accordance with an old habit," Anakin finally answered. "One it would be best if I broke myself of. But until then you must win Cordelia's silence."

"And Oz?" Xander asked.

Anakin answered with a half smile, "I would not worry about Oz. out of all the others he is the one who I suspect would understand us the most," Anakin answered.

"He would?" Xander asked in confusion.

"Yes."

"How so?" Xander asked.

"I believe Oz is Force sensitive, like you."

Xander came to a dead stop. "He is!"

"I believe so," Anakin answered as he turned to face him. Truthfully Anakin couldn't really be sure on this matter. It was possible that he may have gotten a false reading on Oz due to him being a Werewolf. Considering that Anakin had never dealt with a werewolf before, it was very possible that Oz's werewolf nature could have confused his senses. He had made the determination before he knew of Oz's condition. It left him with more than a little doubt. Mentally Anakin wondered if he could ever develop a method to test for midiclorians and get a count on Oz. Until then he couldn't be sure. And testing would have to wait until Xander's apprenticeship came to an end.

"Ah…" Xander trailed off as his distracted mind struggled to cope with this latest revelation, thus allowing his considerable control of his thoughts and emotions to slip. Xander liked Oz, he really did. He treated Willow great, and he had been an amazing help over the summer in keeping Sunny D, safe. He was also another guy that Xander could talk with about guy things, mainly involving good music, their girlfriends and cool cars. It was a nice escape from the rather estrogen dominated group.

But Xander didn't know how to feel in knowing that Oz shared his gift. It made it seem…less special to him somehow. The same way Buffy had probably felt when she had learned of Kendra's existence. It took away from your own uniqueness.

"Stop sulking like a petulant child and get over it Xander," Anakin rolled his eyes as he turned back toward the mansion and resumed walking. Xander fell into step to the right of him and behind him, his face flushing red with embarrassment from Anakin accurately sensing his feelings when he dropped his guard.

"Sorry Master," Xander said. He glanced down at his watch and winced. "I have to go. I have school shortly." Xander turned and headed for the gate of the Compound.

"Your classes start in twenty minutes. You won't make it in time."

"Oh I _can_ get there in time Master," Xander said with a confident smile.

"You know what I mean," Anakin said sternly. It had been one of Anakin's ground rules. No using the Force during the day where there might be witnesses. Xander could easily have made it to class in time but he ran the risk of being seen. At night what the scoobies called 'Sunnydale syndrome' was _always_ in full effect, but Anakin didn't want to bet on that during the day in this schizophrenic town. That left one option available to them. Anakin fished something out of his pocket and tossed it to Xander.

Xander blinked as he caught the keys flying toward him and with an eager expression he looked hungrily towards Anakin's charger then expectantly to his Master. "Does this mean what I think it does?"

"If you so much as put a _scratch_ on my car I will relentlessly hunt you down and _kill you with my brain_." Anakin said without a drop of humor.

"Of course… Master," Xander smiled nervously. Inwardly it didn't feel so much as someone had walked over his grave with that statement but rather dropped their pants and took a dump on his tombstone.

"Go then," Anakin turned away. "And make sure you win their silence." Anakin paused for a moment "And one more thing. Make yourself available immediately after school. We have something important to do." He added as an afterthought then turned and walked toward the house.

"Sure thing, Master. But how am I supposed to win their silence?" Xander asked pleadingly to his retreating back.

"Figure it out," Anakin opened and closed the door to his house leaving Xander alone in the garden.

_We're going to have to work on your sense of humor, you know that?_ Xander quipped, sending his thoughts through the Force. And he was rather surprised when he received an immediate response.

_I think not_. Anakin firmly replied

Xander sighed and turned and made his way to Anakin's Charger. The Black and Yellow car glistened in the early morning sun, practically blinding him. Xander loved this car. He eagerly got behind the wheel and started it up then _very_ _carefully_ drove off.

Anakin Skywalker moved through the corridors of the enclave with the slow step and thoughtful expression of a man deep in thought. As he made his way down the large baronial style stairs of the Enclave his hand instinctively sought the polished balustrade to guide his descent, even though the stairs were large and easily spaced. He did not notice the gesture, so occupied was he with his churning thoughts. It was only when he reached the base of the stairs that he appeared to shake himself, and as if recalling the reason for his journey, he turned with new purpose towards a hallway leading into the east wing of the house. Despite this, as he passed room after room, his footsteps echoing softly upon the heavy marble floor, his pace once again slowed to suit his pensive mood. For all his attempts to do otherwise, he couldn't help but yet again reflect worriedly on the incident that had happened two nights previously.

At least on one level, it had been the first blow to chip at his growing confidence in Sunnydale. For the first time since his arrival in this world he had faced an enemy he had not easily defeated, one that had pushed him to his limits. Even now his body was still sore from that short but brutal battle. He had faced his enemy head on and prevailed, but the victory had forced him to come to terms with his own arrogance. He may have faced the Dark side and succeeded in resisting it, but he recognized now, with no small amount of self-condemnation, that he had possibly grown mildly complacent. Anakin knew he was not a Jedi who held firm to all the tenets of the old order. He had seen too much, and done too much, to follow or accept all the old laws of the old order.

Yet for that reason, he should have felt a sense of satisfaction at this victory. But he didn't, and _that_ was indeed strange. It was not in him not to accept or feel pride at his achievements. He was not an ascetic who self-suppressed the need for emotion or pride. Whatever the Jedi might have said on the subject, he knew the difference between pride and arrogance. Pride was not what he felt now though.

The cause of his current unease lay at the feet of a revelation he had had in his meditation following the battle. To his mind, the battle had been less a victory than a draw. It had exposed within him a conflict and also numerous worries that now refused to abate. He feared he had grown too sure of himself, to fat on his small successes and minor achievements against evil. He had forgotten the eternal rule of the universe, that sooner or later, however strong you were, you faced something stronger or smarter than you were. Resisting the lure of the Dark Side was merely one battle in a larger campaign.

It may have been easy, relatively, to win that battle, but in the long run lose the war. Flooding back too into his meditations after the battle had come old doubts about his new way of life. Anakin worried that, perhaps subconsciously in his fervent desire to escape the mistakes of his past in this new chance at life, to escape the perils of the dark; he had perhaps withdrawn into the perils of the deep immersion in the light. Balance now must be his goal, although he doubted of his ability to maintain it. He feared also he had, however unwittingly, consequently relied too much on the Force, and less on more mundane skills. He now chastised himself mercilessly that he was again, despite all his best efforts, repeating the mistakes of the past. Only they were not his this time, but ironically those of the old Jedi order.

The last, but not least of his current unease was a growing sense, the more he meditated about it, that the battle two nights ago was not an end but a beginning. He had tried to reach out to the Force for guidance in the hopes the Force would show him a more hopeful future. But the Force only responded with the same visions he had seen in those first few days of his new life, that of a malevolent rampage and his allies in desperate struggle fighting it.

Somehow he had not averted the nightmare he had foreseen, and that too deeply troubled the Jedi. Somehow he had failed. As impossible as it may have seemed, it was the only logical conclusion he could come to. But how could his enemy have survived? It seemed impossible that anything could live after having its heart pierced. And despite the interference in the Force by the Zombie demon, Anakin had even felt the warrior die as he tumbled down the shaft. And yet the Force was clear that this future had not been averted. But the Force would not reveal further. If that was the case, there was only one thing he could do. He would have to return to the hospital and verify that his enemy was actually dead. It was something he now realized he should have done anyway, if only to verify who the warrior actually was. Unfortunately, in his initial overconfidence following the victory he had not judged it necessary, and was now left in the disturbing situation of knowing even less about the warrior than before.

His conflicted and worrisome thoughts were interrupted when he arrived at his destination. With practiced ease he unlocked the door, a subtle brush of the Force turning the concealed and inaccessible locks; Revealed behind the heavy door of polished oak lay a large low ceilinged room, softly lit by unobtrusive but elegant wall lights. Anakin crossed the threshold into the still handsome room, its walls paneled with dark wood, and shutting the door behind him felt his shoes sinking slightly into the thick dark carpet. Originally designed and furnished as the mansion's library, so lavishly that the room took up an entire wing on the property, Anakin had re-tasked the elegant space into what could best be described as a combination office and situation room. He crossed the length of the room, periodically illuminated by the light of the still rising sun which streamed through the wide windows.

The room's eight windows overlooked the grounds of the property to the rear, the bluff the house was built on dropping away to providing breathtaking views of manicured lawns and the coast. But to Anakin, the excellent strategic position the room and its windows provided over all the approaches to the exposed rear of the property partly were of greater value.

Almost immediately after he had acquired the house Anakin had seen this room's potential, and had for some time now begun the necessary steps to mould the spaces to his needs. The long lines of shelves along the walls, a legacy of the original design, were slowly beginning to fill up with books on Demonology, magic and assorted history texts. Another set of bookshelves contained an expanding collection of technology periodicals, social-economic treatises, brochures of military and non-military technologies, along with Anakin's own files upon individuals he had encountered.

It was too the subject of one such, and rather larger file, that Anakin now addressed a call. At the far end of the room, notionally, but not actually concealed behind sliding wooden doors, lay what would appear to some to be a mix between an office server factory and a super villain's laboratory. Much of the electronics nightmare on display was in fact non-functional, and that which was online still suffered from occasional breakdowns, so that Anakin was forced periodically to dismantle and remodel the whole design to make it work. A second computer core, completed earlier due to its relative un-sophistication, was located elsewhere on the estate, responsible for the enclave's security. This larger creation, subject to teething problems or not, was far more sophisticated, but sophistication was not what Anakin really needed right then.

Two large desks, facing the door, had been joined together then modified to create a combination desk and work surface. It was into the chair behind the second that Anakin now slid. Consulting one of several screens built into the desk, Anakin punched in a telephone number into a keypad.

As he sat back listening to the dial tone, he cast an eye over the room. For the most part it looked fairly innocent, both because it was still unfinished, and because he had intended it that way. From his, admittedly brief, foray into Earth culture, he was positive not to attract too much attention to his off-world origins, even indirectly. As a whole, the enclave would appear to an outsider to be just what the rest of the nearby houses were, the lavish home of a rich, perhaps more security obsessed than usual, individual. He intended the property after all to serve as a refuge for innocents should some catastrophe occur, but as such any of the more sensitive elements of it were either concealed, inaccessible, or hidden in plain sight. The armour plating he had paid to be retrofitted into the walls of this wing of the property for example.

His attention returned to the phone call when the speakers discretely built into the desk relayed the sound of a phone being picked up.

"Good morning Mr. Groves."

"Good morning Master Skywalker. All is well I take it? How might I be of service?"

Anakin began to reply, automatically raising his eyes to a screen fixed to a wall opposite the desk.

Expecting to see Grove's average and misleading human features, he was annoyed when he saw...nothing. A green light glowed on the panel, but nothing was displayed. He swore in huttese slightly, flicking his fingers through a bunch of wiring hanging from a terminal beneath the desk.

A mild shock made him grimace. Annoyed, he turned to the core behind him and clicked his fingers in the air. The rather theatrical gesture, invisibly accompanied by a deft smack with the Force on the computer core, seemed to resolve the problem.

"Mr. Groves," Anakin faced the camera again, acknowledging Groves' bow with a nod of his own. "I am calling to learn the status of certain projects you have instigated on my behalf."

"To which one do you refer my lord?" Groves asked.

Anakin's bristled slightly at the 'my lord' statement but he decided to let it go for now. "In the short term, the specialized equipment I have need of. I also require progress reports on our long term projects as well."

"Of course Master Skywalker," Mr. Groves acknowledged. "The specialized equipment you referred to shall be delivered to your residence by close of business tomorrow, a week ahead of schedule I might add. My staff shall see to it personally. However, synthesizing the gems in question with the methods you provided will take longer."

"How much longer?" Anakin asked.

"We are uncertain, Master Skywalker," Mr. Groves replied with a slight frown. "The unique methods of synthesizing gems of this quality and faceting them to your specifications is unlike anything our science department has ever attempted before. I am sorry to inform you their last attempt met without success. It will take time. I am forwarding the latest reports to you as we speak."

"I see," Anakin replied. On cue the computer system gave a beep, as Groves' files were relayed via Earth's primitive but ever burgeoning data net. He opened up the reports, including a video file that he set playing silently on a side screen. With an excusatory nod to Groves, he surveyed it for a few moments, grimacing ruefully almost immediately.

Truthfully he hadn't expected they would be successful on their first attempt. Synthesizing stronger gems was a process fraught with failure, particularly with a world with such limited technology. Earth had no Zero G industry, which meant that Groves' associates were forced to synthesize the new crystals the only way they knew how. The process they were using, as far as Anakin understood, had only recently been developed and was as time consuming as it was expensive. Even so it was taking far longer than he had anticipated.

He supposed he could have simply used a natural gem instead and called it day. But, in a bold decision he sometimes had doubts about; he had decided to pursue the more advanced process. He knew if it didn't prove effective he would be forced to fall back on using the natural gems of this still unfamiliar world.

Unfortunately, along that path lay other problems, chiefly the difficulty of obtaining gems of sufficient size and quality to be cut into focusing crystals. Such gems, quite apart from being rare in the size and quality required, inevitably commanded an enormous price, even in their uncut form. True his forays through the tunnels of Sunnydale had brought into his possession several stones which might prove suitable, but in the long term a more reliable method would prove vital.

That was of course, he admitted ruefully, assuming that the process of lightsaber production ever progressed to the stage in the assembly process where one finally fitted the crystal itself. The gems themselves were just one a few glaring problems in saber construction. The power cell, blade emitter and superconductor were above all proving especially challenging to reproduce to his specifications. It was extremely frustrating but as he reminded himself not surprising given what he had to work with. Even so he was determined to make it work and it _would_ work. He just needed to be patient. Possibly 'very' patient. Having finished reviewing the files he leant back slightly in the chair smiling slightly. _It wasn't as if he was going anywhere after all_, he thought ruefully.

"The rest of the equipment however will be delivered as promised," Mr. Groves informed him after a few moments, once Anakin had finished relaying the files to the Enclave's main core behind him. Anakin nodded at the camera, silently showing his approval of Groves' efficiency. It might lack several key components at the standards required but at least with the new equipment he could at least make a start on constructing a prototype saber using Earth materials. Limited at the end product would be, he knew from experience that the construction process would probably give him several valuable insights to be refined into the next design.

Mistakes were after all something you learned from, as any designer could tell you.

He hoped in time to aid Alexander with the construction of the young man's own saber. It had admittedly been some time since Anakin himself had constructed a blade, but he had never done so with the resources available to him here. The process would therefore on yet another level prove invaluable, if only to flag up any serious dangers his apprentice would face. The thought of his apprentice suffering any serious injury on this world where medical technology was yet so limited was not a pleasant one.

"What of our other projects?" Anakin asked, returning to reality from his musings to address the question to Groves.

"The Jedi Foundation remains on track my lord. The funds we are investing into it will grow in time and will be available should you need them."

"Very good, Mr. Groves," Anakin nodded. The Jedi foundation was a project Anakin had begun work on quietly some months earlier, laying the foundations within Mr. Groves' high technology corporation. It was an attempt to bring some benefit to this world, not through the direct means of slaying supernatural beasts, but by improving quality of life for ordinary people in need.

"The basic designs you've provided are quite revolutionary, not to mention the types of power cells and new alloys have taken us in new directions we never dreamed of before," Groves stated with uncommon vehemence.

Anakin grimaced internally, not missing the look of cool avarice that flashed across his contact's face. Groves continued.

"My head researcher told me only the other day that your input has allowed us to solve issues which a year ago were thought would limit advances in areas of robotics for at least decades to come. Now with this technology, he claims that he would easily be able to build fully articulated and intelligent combat units for example."

"No Battledroids," Anakin said firmly. "Or those Terminator things I've heard about. I want it well understood that developments in this technology are only to be used for medical procedures only. Artificial limbs, breathing apparatus, mechanical hearts. That sort of thing."

He decided not to mention the dumb-droid brain currently controlling the mansion's security. Once mentioned he was sure Groves wouldn't let the matter drop. The most he planned to install on the main core would be a similar adaptive program, capable of self-repair, analysis and research. The security core was more cognizant, not to mention dangerous, but only because it had to be.

Anakin continued, injecting a small but definite tone of menace into his voice. "And Mr Groves! Do remember you are not the only body with whom I am in contact. I do not need to pluck memories from your mind to know if any of your researchers take this technology in directions beyond my mandate. I can do that anyway. But if developments based on my concepts appear in other labs on this planet, rest assured I will soon know of it. This is the last and only warning I will give you, as an indication of my respect and as recognition for your services."

Groves nodded immediately, "As you command. I will make it clear to them."

Anakin corrected him patiently, "It isn't a command Mr. Groves; it's a request from your majority shareholder."

"As you command," repeated Groves impassively. Anakin eyed him close, but Groves' only reply to the intense and warning gaze was complete impassivity. At times like this, it was obvious Groves was not human. Like many non human creatures in the Sunnydale underworld who had worn the false guise of humanity for a long time, he had forgotten, or perhaps never deemed in necessary to imitate humans exactly. The unnatural stillness of his features, concealed only by gestures of expression or emotion he occasionally showed, made it clear that beneath the flesh lay something that was not Homo sapiens.

Anakin decided to let Groves' comment drop. He nodded in goodbye, dismissing the being before him. Rising out of the chair to his feet, his hand was just reaching for the control to close the communication, when Groves coughed slightly, drawing Anakin's already wandering attention back from a half-completed project he'd recently begun absently tinkering with.

"My lord, there is one other matter," Groves spoke. "In the event you are… incapacitated somehow, who will take over your role?"

"In the foundation?"

"Yes sir. As I understand it you have no heir?"

His lips tightened. Memories rose unwanted, unbidden, a brief image of his son clutching his severed wrist, of his daughter screaming under the interrogation droid. He pushed them back down ruthlessly. Memories only hurt, they didn't change anything. "I have no children to follow me," Anakin said quietly. "In the event of my unexpected demise, you will contact my apprentice, Alexander Harris. He will know what to do."

"Very good sir."

"Let me know when you have worked out the nerve degradation problem," Anakin stated.

"That will be all Mr. Groves."

"Yes my lord."

The screen went blank. Anakin found himself standing upright before the desk, suddenly not quite knowing how he came to be in that position. His head was held high and hands behind his back, in an authoritative pose that had been part of life for almost thirty solar years.

He sighed, and leant forwards to lean against the desk. It was a posture he slipped into when giving orders, almost unconsciously.

He had before wondered idly how if it was really muscle memory, when this body predated the authority that pose represented. He supposed it was memory, or ingrained habit. It was at once a skill, a useful tool, body language, an air of command, and it was part of him, however he rationalized it. It was also a reminder, when he slipped into it the pose also brought back memories which he did not need or want to dwell upon. Returning with a painful bump to the matter at hand he privately cursed his woolgathering, at the same time as smiling distractedly at the curious phrase he had picked up from Mr. Giles. He had it seemed become increasingly introspective since his arrival here. As with so many things about his new life, he was still not sure whether this was a good or bad thing yet.

He crossed the room with a decisive stride, moving from the rear of the library to the large table, made of a dark wood, which stood midway down the middle of room. It was strewn with various reports and files, some his own product, others drawn from various sources such as independent financial analysts or Mr. Groves' many contacts

The fledgling Jedi Foundation, the subject of many of the aforementioned reports, and the reason many others existed, was another of what he privately called his small steps towards redemption. He knew not if he could ever redeem himself, but clearly someone had set him on this new world with some great purpose. Anakin believed with such a firm and deep conviction, a conviction and sense of purpose he 'knew' had been lacking throughout his tortured and bitter life, that he had at last found his true path here. He would start small, but he would take this unjustified opportunity he did not deserve to do what was right. He would be as the Jedi should have been, and if the Force were willing he perhaps would have the chance to cleanse some little of the blackness from his soul.

It would start with medical technology, copies of the devices he had grown to know so well in his darker incarnation. He had changed a few details, adapted them for this world as much as he could and set Mr. Groves to work creating them. They wouldn't crush steel doors, but the robotic limbs would give people their mobility and dexterity back. In time false hearts and lungs would follow, perhaps more. It would help people, it all would help people, and Anakin had aims to set this world on fire. He had been slightly horrified at the fascination this world had with mechanical life, living machines as a means of destruction.

The shadows of the atrocities committed by separatist droids, whatever the real origins behind the separatists themselves; had never really vanished regardless of how dark he had sunk in his past life. He hadn't been lying to Groves'. He would have no repeat of the events of his past. Dedicated Droids were to his mind allowable, they were extensions of sapient being's actions, robotic arms were merely a means to help those who had suffered recover some control, but intelligent automated machines of war would never if he could help be developed on this world.

Regardless of his prohibitions on some development, he knew from the reports before him that even at this early stage some of the ideas Anakin had introduced were making waves in earth's scientific, manufacturing and technological communities. The materials, fine controls and power cells for the robotic devices could each be used in a myriad of applications. He had plans for pen sized Cell Phones, cars which ran on super efficient fuel cells, even cracking the final pieces of the Fusion Reactor puzzle. What was everyday tech to him was a treasure trove here, and with the advances would come innovations, developments and potentially limitless revenues that he could use to support his philanthropist aims.

It would also make him very much richer.

Money wasn't a huge deal to him, a Jedi didn't need material wealth, but without an order or the Republic to pay for his food and clothing he needed some sort of income. Those revenues would go into the Foundation to be reinvested, creating a cycle of new beneficial technologies but also giving Anakin the funds he needed to build his flowering Jedi Order here, fighting on the Hellmouth. He had found two within hours of arriving on this strange world, and he was sure there would be others with the Force. He had to bring them together; it was his solemn duty for the benefit of this entire world. To inform, to educate, to guide, and to set on the proper path. Otherwise it was only a matter of time before some found evil uses for their talents and fell to temptation.

The foundation was important to him. It was a legacy. It was he supposed a private means for him to repay in some small form for all that he had done. But. He had decided long before that he would never reveal all about his past, not even to Xander. He sought no forgiveness. When he looked back to see how he would be remembered in his past life, it would be as an agent of evil. A great man who fell. The reasons would not matter, no matter how justified; all that would be remembered would be his weakness, and his wrath. But not here, not this world, not this life.

To publically proclaim that his actions were penance for his past seemed too much to him like buying his forgiveness from others. He would never tell. He had sworn on his knees with tears streaming down his face to drop onto the sandy floor of the Force nexus below. He swore he would never allow himself the satisfaction of forgetting, of asking for pity. None here could grant him forgiveness. None here had the right, nor did he himself.

He would, he hoped, leave something behind that would grow and flourish long after he passed, a force for eternal good and right. So that someone else might become all the things he should have been, all the things he could not ever again become. He would take this chance set before him to do this. He would walk in the shadows of the light. He would follow the path, and if he failed again he did not doubt the Force would settle the balance once again. And he would die, maybe when the Force finally decreed he should. He would leave a legacy he could be proud of, that his children would be proud of wherever they now were. And maybe, just maybe, he would see his loved ones again.


	13. Chapter 10

"Cordy! Cordy wait up!" Xander made his way through the crowd to Cordelia's side. Cordelia exhaled a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and rolled her eyes in annoyance. She closed her locker to hurry off but apparently she wasn't quick enough.

"What do you want Xander?" Cordelia sighed.

"Why haven't you returned any of my calls?" Xander asked.

"Because maybe I don't want to talk to you?" Cordelia said briskly and turned to walk away through the crowd.

"Cordy, I'm sorry," Xander said to her retreating back. Cordelia stopped. She seemed to debate something to herself before finally coming to a decision. She slowly turned to face Xander.

"Okay. I have some questions that I want answers to. You understand that right? Complete honesty. Because if you lie to me I swear to God I will hurt you Xander Harris."

"Complete honesty," Xander agreed with a resigned nod.

"What's going on with you and Anakin?" Cordelia asked.

"He's been training me…I'm his apprentice," Xander answered.

"Okay" Cordelia nodded in apparent satisfaction. She had figured it was something like that. "How long?"

Xander grimaced at the question but still he answered truthfully "Just over three months."

"Three months…" Cordelia echoed darkly. "And in that entire time it never _once_ occurred to you to tell me the truth? Do you have no respect for me?"

"Of course I respect you," Xander countered.

Cordelia snorted, "Apparently not enough to tell me the truth."

"Cordelia It wasn't like that at all, I just—"

"Shut. Up. Xander," Cordelia's voice was quiet but hard like steel. He complied at once.

"Why the secrecy? You didn't trust that we'd take it well or something?"

"I don't know," Xander answered. Cordelia's eyes flared. "I'm serious Cordelia I don't know! He insisted on it and I just fell in line with it."

"Like a good little lap dog," Cordelia snorted.

Xander didn't look away despite being stung by her comment.

"Sorry," Cordelia said in somewhat contrite tone. "That was a low blow."

"I had it coming."

"You _sure_ did," Cordelia agreed. "But I swore to myself when I confronted you I wouldn't swoop so low, whether you deserved it or not. I do have class you know."

Xander smiled slightly, "I know."

"Now then let's get to the heart of the matter, shall we?" Cordelia took a big breath and released it slowly, "Can you read people's minds?" Cordelia asked.

Xander gulped, this was the buildup to the true question he knew she wanted to ask.

"I can generally sense emotions. And with some concentration I _can_ enter a person's mind, so yes."

Cordelia stiffened slightly but she didn't' rip into him like he expected her to.

"Okay," Cordelia began in a quiet voice. "Now for the big one. Have you been inside _my_ mind? Have you been manipulating me?"

Xander felt like he'd been sucker punched in the gut. While he could understand her fear, the fact that she would ask the question at all still felt like an insult to his integrity even if he had been expecting it.

"Never," Xander whispered as he looked away.

"I'm sorry, could you actually look me in the eyes and speak up like a real man!"

Xander's eyes snapped to hers in an instant, bristling at the insult while his eyes flared in indignation but he kept it in check. "Cordelia I know you're angry with me and I deserve it, I've lied to you its true, and I know that makes you doubt my honesty. But if you never again believe anything I say, believe this. I have _never_ violated you like that. And I never will! I care about you too much to do that too you," Xander said passionately.

_Care….not love._ Cordelia caught on to that subtle yet significant distinction.

Cordelia studied his face intently, taking in the passionate sincerity in his voice and the insulted look on his face. She could either accept him at his word or assume he was lying to her. A part of her wanted to snap at him and accuse him of lying, but the other part of her, the part that knew him, that had felt the depth of his caring knew the truth. She chose to listen to that part. "I believe you," Cordelia said.

Xander looked up hopefully and reached for her hand. She pulled away, and with it her anger seemed to fade as well to be replaced by sense of emptiness. It only made what she was about to do just that much more difficult.

"I want to make this right Cordelia, somehow," Xander said.

Cordelia deflated completely, "I don't think you can, Xander."

"What do you mean? I mean I know we took a hit but relationships can recover from this sort of thing," Xander replied.

Cordelia suddenly became very conscious of their environment and the people around them, watching _them_. "Xander, maybe we should talk about this later."

Xander studied her eyes intently before responding, "Why do I sense you're trying to avoid the subject?"

"As if this little talk has filled me with happiness," Cordelia replied. She looked at Xander inquisitively. "Using your Jedi empathy, huh?"

"Yeah…" Xander nodded. "Uh…sorry, sometimes I can't help it."

"It's okay…I'm…Xander I'm not really mad about that. Weird as it is to say that."

"What?" Xander looked very confused. "But didn't you just say…"

"Xander stop. I just…I just wanted to hear it from you; that you would never violate me like that. Somehow I always knew you wouldn't," She smiled forcefully then, "But it got me thinking. What does all this mean, for us?"

"I don't understand," Xander replied.

"You getting all these powers, Xander. Suddenly you're not the Zeppo of the group anymore. I mean if Anakin is anything to go by; you're probably going to surpass Buffy pretty soon." Cordelia's thin smiled dissolved. "And that made me wonder what _our _future together would be like."

Xander chose to remain quiet and not interrupt Cordelia. He had a sinking feeling that he wasn't going to like what she was about to say.

"I've had a lot of time to think about it. And it…I…I…Xander…I'm just tired of it all. I want out of this life."

"We live on a Hellmouth Cordy, there's kinda no escaping that fact."

"Exactly my point," Cordelia said.

"I don't follow," Xander replied in confusion.

"Xander, have you given any thought to life _after _high school?" Cordelia asked.

Lately after having discussed what the life of a Jedi required he'd given considerable thought on the matter, but to tell her would probably be counterproductive. So again he opted to remain quiet.

"Well _I_ have," Cordelia pressed on. "I dreamed of this great future Xander. Moving to LA, becoming an actress and escaping this life…with the man I love." Cordelia said the last part with a hint of tears in her eyes. She firmly repressed them.

Xander's breath caught in his throat as his face fell. He hadn't realized she'd been planning a future for them.

"Two days ago…I…I realized it would be just that. A dream. You taking on this responsibility, becoming a Jedi Knight and fighting evil…suddenly I knew that dream of us… would never be. Why do you think I invited you into my bed in the first place?"

If it hadn't come into stark clarity before, it did now. Cordelia was in love with him! But at the same time she didn't want what he was becoming. She wanted the man, not the Hero; not with the fear and apprehension that came with being a hero. It was suddenly so clear to him why she was in turmoil and why his secret hurt her so deeply. The revelation was like being hit with a thunderbolt! She wanted to escape this dangerous life and take him with her and share her future with him. She just wasn't emotionally prepared to be bound to a designated scary monster killing white knight who dealt with imminent death and other yucky things on a daily basis. She was the kind of woman who would rather be with Clark Kent and wanted nothing to do with the Superman. Her discovering that he was a Jedi changed everything. It proved where his heart truly lay.

"_I_ want out of this life Xander. _You _have chosen it. I'm not the kind of woman who can come home at the end of the day from a big shoot, praying that you're still alive. I don't want to deal with Apocalypses' and the next big bad…Xander…I just can't do this anymore."

"Cordy it wouldn't be like that," Xander pleaded. His words sounded hollow even to his own ears.

"Yes it would, Xander. And we both know it." Cordelia took a deep breath then exhaled. "Answer me this. If I asked you to give up this life would you do it?"

Xander didn't answer which told Cordelia all she needed to know. His heart would always be in Sunnydale, with Buffy. It broke her heart completely, knowing that she could never truly compete with that.

"I thought as much," She nodded sadly. She rose to her toes and kissed him longingly. Xander returned her kiss the way he knew she loved it and was rewarded with a contented moan that escaped her lips. They pulled apart reluctantly, each one wanting to savor the moment before it came to an end. "It was a wonderful dream," Cordelia said with a bittersweet smile.

"It was," Xander returned her smile even though it felt as if his heart had been shattered. Cordelia pulled herself out of his embrace for what Xander realized would be the final time as his girlfriend.

"Take care Xander. Oh and don't worry. I won't tell a soul your secret."

"How did you—"

It's because I know you too well, Xander Harris." Cordelia cut him off. She quickly turned and walked off with a brisk pace without a look back.

As Cordelia disappeared from sight Xander slumped back against his locker feeling completely miserable. He looked around noticing people laughing and snickering while looking directly at him. It seemed word was already spreading about their breakup. In true Sunnydale fashion, they couldn't spot a demon in broad daylight to save their lives, but they could sure spot some juicy gossip.

Just great.

Xander leaned his head back against the locker and closed his eyes. He took a steadying breath and reached out to the Force to calm his raging emotions.

It didn't work.

"You alright, Harris?" A voice said in slight concern. Xander opened his eyes in surprise and turned to regard the person who spoke. He saw Larry standing a few feet away, with a look of slight concern etched on his face.

"You okay?" Larry repeated.

"No I'm not," Xander admitted truthfully as he weakly pushed off the locker. It felt as if his strength had been sapped. "But I will be." Xander looked around and saw that people were still eyeing him and laughing. He felt numb to it all. "Guess everyone knows," He observed.

"It was kind of hard to miss. You know with all the awkward tension and furtive glances and stuff. The goodbye kiss kinda sealed it," Larry said.

Xander nodded numbly. "How you holding up? With everything that happened?"

Larry shook his head and exhaled a deep breath, "It's still a lot to process, you know? It's all kind of hard to accept the night life and all. But I'm managing. Jonathan seems to be dealing with it better than I am. As for Sandy I think she's just doing her best to forget it ever happened."

Xander grinned ruefully, "I know how that is."

The bell rang signifying the beginning of lunch.

"Look, I gotta go I'm meeting up with the team for lunch, you sure you're going to be okay, Xander?" Larry asked.

"Yeah," Xander nodded. Larry nodded encouraging then left down the hall. Xander waited only a moment before he opened his locker and tossed his book bag inside, and then slowly made his way to the front entrance. Buffy and Willow were waiting for him.

"We need to talk man," Oz said as he casually came up next to Xander at the front entrance of the school. Xander had felt Willow's presence nearby but he had yet to spot her thanks to the thick crowd of seniors leaving campus for lunch, which gave Xander the perfect opportunity to deal damage control with Oz.

"What's up, Oz?" Xander asked as the werewolf skidded up next to him.

"Something's been different about you, been that way for a while now."

Straight to the point and no stuttering and stammering even. Oz always was charmingly direct.

"How could you tell?" Xander asked flippantly.

"Fighting zombies like a Slayer kinda gives a guy a clue, you know?" Oz responded without missing a beat.

"Why haven't you said anything to the others?" Xander asked.

Oz shrugged, "No one was getting hurt and you seemed pretty insistent on privacy. I figured you'd tell us when you were ready, whenever that was."

Xander nodded then casually scanned the crowds hoping to spot Willow nearby as the lunch crowd began to thin.

"I'm gonna sound crazy when I ask this but I gotta know man. This thing with you two nights ago, that was the Force wasn't it?" Oz asked bluntly.

Xander nodded, "How did you know?"

"There was just something different about you that night at the bronze. Especially when you fought that guy in the alley-."

Xander winced; so much for no one else witnessing his perfect moment of madness.

"—and you've been smelling like Anakin's place a lot over the past three months." Xander frowned; he had forgotten about Oz's enhanced sense of smell. And he was a lot sharper than most would probably give him credit for. It was only natural Oz would put two and two together.

"Are you going to tell them?" Xander asked.

Oz seemed to think on it for a moment then shook his head, "It's not my place to tell them."

Xander sighed with relief, two for two, "Thank you, Oz."

"Just promise me Willow won't get hurt and we'll be square."

"I'd never let anything happen to her," Xander replied firmly.

"Not the kind of hurt I was talking about man," Oz answered as he moved off before Xander could say anything in response. As Xander turned to watch his retreating form he spotted Willow rocking back and forth from heel to toe. His bestest bud, so happy and so giddy, so jubilant with life. Would she still be that way if she knew that he was becoming a Jedi? The man he was slowly becoming under Anakin's tutelage would be far different than the boy she knew. She didn't like Anakin that much Xander knew for certain. And she could be surprisingly possessive at times; almost jealous of anything that affected the status quo of the group, and particularly him. This he had witnessed firsthand over the summer particularly with the revelation about her feelings for him he _still_ didn't know how to deal with. But would she forgive him for keeping this secret from her? In his heart he knew she would even though he knew it would hurt her. She was his Willow after all. They were bestest buds, always and forever. They had been through so much together already. How could she not?

It was a comforting thought and it did make him feel slightly better considering the suck fest this day was turning out to be. What he really wanted to do right now was find a nice quiet spot and meditate or perhaps burn off some of the frustrations brewing from his still fresh breakup with Cordelia. But he couldn't, Buffy had made lunch for them and all would be wrong with the universe before Xander missed out on that. Mental note to self: Training and meditation will have to wait till later.

Satisfied on his immediate course of action Xander took a moment to reach out to the Force and gather his composure before moving to join up with Willow and Oz. Willow was smiling; speaking in a very animated tone of voice to Oz who as usual responded in a calm and controlled manner. At a nod from Oz who had spotted his approach both young men took up positions on either side of Willow.

"It's the freedom! As seniors, we can go off-campus now for lunch. It's no longer cutting. It's Legal! Heck, it's expected! Wow, its, uh, also a big step forward, a senior moment, one that has to be savored." Oz and Xander shared a smirk behind Willows back. This was gonna be fun.

"You can't just rush into this, you know?" The two boys each grabbed and arm and started pulling her across the street.

"Ohh! No, no, no, no!" Willow resisted; leaning backwards with all her weight. "No, I can't!" Oz and Xander simply lifted her by her arms and pulled harder.

"You can," Xander smiled.

"See, you are," Oz agreed.

Willows protests were not easily swayed, "Oh, but, no! What if they changed the rule without telling? What if they're lying in wait to arrest me a-and, and throw me in detention and mar my unblemished record?"

They reached the other side of the street, and Oz and Xander steadied her on the sidewalk.

"Breathe. Breath," Xander said in calm reassurance.

Willow took a deep breath and let it out calming visibly. "Okay, hmmm…"

Xander released her while Oz took her hand. They began walking to the small park in front of the school."

Willow who was much more relaxed smiled in satisfaction "This is good! This is…Hey, we're Seniors!" She puffed out her chest with a mock attitude, "Hey, I'm walkin here!" She giggled.

They saw Buffy just inside the park. She had laid a blanket out in the shade of a palm tree by a bench and was setting out serving plates of food and bottles of drinks. The group calmly walked towards her.

Xander smiled, "Ahh, Buffy and food my two most favorite things in the world!"

Willow whispered in an almost conspiratorial tone "Maybe we shouldn't be too couple-y around Buffy." She looked to Xander for confirmation and frowned in confusion when she didn't see Cordelia hanging onto Xanders very muscle-y arm. "Uhm, Xander? Where's the other half of your couple?"

Xander winced out of reflex which Willow spotted instantly but before her look of confusion could turn into one of 'concerned Willow face' Xander smoothly deflected attention away from his recent breakup. "Yeah… she couldn't make it, Wills. I'll explain later."

They came up behind the tree just out of Buffy's view.

"All right, prepare to uncouple…" Oz began. They took a few more steps. "Uncouple." Willow and Oz let go of each other as they came around the tree. Oz climbed onto the bench while Xander and Willow knelt down on the blanket on either side of Buffy.

"Buffy!" Xander smiled warmly. "Banned from campus, but not from our hearts, how are you and what's for lunch?"

Buffy beamed brightly in his direction, "Oh, I just threw a few things together. I hope you guys like it."

"Dare I say Buffy Summers is the next incarnation of Martha Stewart?" Xander asked playfully.

"First of all, Martha Steward knows jack about hand-cut prosciutto," Buffy stated with a grin as she handed out water bottles and sandwiches.

"I don't believe she slays, either," Xander added with a wink.

"Oh, I hear she can but she doesn't like to. Woman's got mad skills with a knife," Oz added sagely.

Buffy opened her bottle of water, "Second of all, way too much free time on my hands since I got kicked out of school." She took a drink from her water bottle.

"Oh, I know they'll let you back in Buffy," Willow said with conviction.

Xander nodded in agreement, "Don't you and your mom have a meeting with Principal Snyder?"

"We're seeing Snyde-Man tomorrow."

"Ahhhh break out your rabbit's feet, four leaf clovers and the lucky charms!" Xander added with a false Irish accent. "Oh! Speaking of lucky charms…" Xander began eagerly searching through Buffy's picnic basket in search of said lucky charms.

Buffy playfully swatted his hand away with a smile. "Bad Xander, lucky charms are not lunch food!"

"I am shocked you would speak such blaspheme!" Xander retorted with a smile. He reached over and grabbed a sandwich cut.

"You'll get over it," Buffy smiled then turned to the others. "Anyway I don't think it's gonna get that bad, the Snyde-Man has already vented his frustrations. There's not much more he can do that he hasn't done already," Buffy insisted.

"His bark is worse than his bite," Oz added.

"Exactly," Buffy nodded in agreement. "He's just posturing. The school board already sided with mom and there's nothing he can do about it."

Willow was looking off in the distance as she noticed something. "Oh, Scott Hope at eleven o'clock." This naturally caused Buffy to look exactly where Willow was looking at. "He likes you. He wanted to ask you out last year, but you weren't ready then. But I think you're ready now, or at least in the stat of pre-readiness to make conversation, or-or do that thing with your mouth that boys like."

Buffy snapped her head around at Willow and gave her a shocked look while Xander did his best not to choke on his sandwich.

Willow immediately realized her slipup and began stammering. "Oh! I didn't mean the _bad_ thing with your mouth, I meant that little half-smile thing that you…" Willow trailed off as she glared at Oz. "You're supposed to stop me when I do that."

Oz smiled and shook his head, "I like when you do that."

Scott it seemed had finished talking with his friends and was now coming towards them. Buffy watched him approach with apprehension. But as he passed by he looked over towards Buffy and smiled, "Hi, Buffy."

Buffy sheepishly smiled back, "Hi."

"Willow broke out into a huge smile, "I think that went very well. Don't you think that went very well?" she asked Oz as Scott moved out of earshot.

Oz nodded in agreement, "It was remarkably normal." He took a bite from one of his sandwich slices.

Xander meanwhile was fantasizing of using the Force to choke the life out of Scott Hope. It would be so easy. All he'd have to do was choke him out or maybe crush his heart. Maybe explode a blood vessel in his brain or perhaps have one of the schools overhead lights fall on him? Maybe use the Force to give him a fatal explosive hernia? There was poetry in that. Ahhh decisions, decisions, decisions.

"Hey, did you do that little half-smile thing?" Willow asked in excitement.

Buffy sighed, "Look, I'm not trying to snare Scott Hope. I just want to get my life back, you know?" for a brief moment Buffy saw a vision of a tall blonde and well built man in dark cloths standing over her with piercing blue eyes; his entire demeanor radiating passion, power…and danger. She quickly banished the thought as soon as it had entered her mind and with it the slight sense of guilt she felt with it. As if she was betraying the memory of Angel by thinking of another man. She ruthlessly pushed it aside. "I want to do normal stuff," She affirmed. She looked towards Xander and hid her scowl of amusement as she recognized the evil glare and faraway look in Xanders eyes he directed toward Scott Hope. She punched him in the arm not too gently and whispered in his ear. "No spacing out on me, Xander."

"Like date?" Willow prodded getting back on topic.

Buffy fidgeted slightly under her friends scrutinizing gaze, "Well…."

Xander chuckled, "Oh, you wanna date. I saw that half-smile, you little slut."

Buffy punched him again in the exact same spot, only harder.

Xander smiled and chuckled, "Ow, again." Then he winced and rubbed his arm. That's gonna bruise.

"All right, fine, yes, date and shop and hang out and go to school and save the world from unspeakable demons. You know, I wanna do girlie stuff!" Buffy looked around and frowned in confusion when she noticed something amiss. "Speaking of things not so normal, where's Cordelia?"

Willow blinked as if remembering something, "Yeah that's what I said earlier. Xander?"

Xander suppressed a groan. He noticed everyone turn to look at him expectantly and his expression darkened somewhat which immediately cued everyone in that something was wrong. He'd been hoping to avoid the subject until later when he got a better handle on his emotions. Sadly no such luck. Oh well, best to get this over with a soon as possible.

"We broke up. Pass the ketchup please?"

Two feminine voices replied at the same time. "What, how, when, again, why?" They looked at each other oddly, blinked for an awkward moment then immediately turned their attention right back to Xander with looks of growing sympathy on their faces. It was exactly what he _didn't_ want.

"I don't want to talk about it. Can we just let it go?" Xander replied quickly.

"Xander, you can't let these things just go," Buffy said softly her voice full of sympathy.

Xander couldn't bite back the angry retort, "Like hell I can't Buffy. If you want to rub salt into wounds then how about we discuss Angelus for a couple of hours? No? Then shut up and pass the ketchup!" Xander immediately regretted his harsh words as soon they escaped his lips and seeing the horrified expression on Willows face and the hurt look on Buffy's it only added to his growing misery. Great, now he was snapping at his friends for trying to cheer him up.

"Buff I'm….I'm sorry….I didn't…I didn't mean too-"

"—it's okay Xander," Buffy smiled sadly. "I know I put you guys through the ringer when Angel and I broke up. So I can understand what you're going through. Just please do me a favor Xander?"

"Sure Buff, what's up?"

"Please no love spells. I really don't want to go through that again."

Xander stiffen in indignation but this time managed to bite back another angry retort. She meant it as a light joke. He knew that, even though it was a poor choice for one. But it still offended him that she would think he could still do something like that again. But he guessed she did have some leeway to ask. After all she was one of the few people most adversely affected by the spell.

Instead he answered in a calm almost clinical manner as possible. "I've learned my lesson when it comes to love spells. It's something I'll never _ever_ do again. It's a mess I cleaned up as soon as I was able. Can you say the same about bad boyfriends Buffy? People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."

Buffy realized she may have pushed Xander a little too far if he was snapping back at her like this. He was hurting, and pushing him like this was only causing him to push back…which was kind of un-Xander like, but she decided to pull back and give him some space. He'd talk when he was ready and she would listen, it's what friends were for. If anything, after all she put him through, she owed him that much. Suddenly she perked up as an idea came to her. "Tell you what. Why don't we all hit the Bronze tonight? Just us scoobies and have a little wild fun? Forget our problems for one blissful night. No slaying, No apocalypses or worrying about school or our Ex's. Just us friends having fun together, what do you guys say?"

"I'm in," Oz chipped in.

Yeah, me too," Willow spoke up.

Xander wasn't really feeling up to it but he couldn't really say no to Buffy, he sighed in resignation "Fine..."

Buffy smiled, "Okay it's settled then. Now let's dig in and finish this food before lunch is over."

Anakin Skywalker gently leaned against his black and yellow charger in the school parking lot as he watched Xander Harris slowly stride out of the entrance of the school with a slow sedate pace. The boy moved with purpose, his ramrod straight poise projecting confidence and certainty to his movements to any casual observer. But to someone who knew him, who could spot the slight subtleties to his demeanor, could tell this was not the case at all.

For someone like Anakin, who could read body language like galactic basic, could see through Xanders charade. Under that calm exterior was a strong undertow of emotion pulling at the boy like a riptide. Where once, before his training, it would have shown openly on his face and in his body language, now it was buried beneath a façade of calm sereneness, but Anakin wasn't fooled. To him Xander's body radiated turmoil and regret, something that was easy for him to identify as he knew those emotions as intimately as a lovers caress. The parking lot was nearly empty with most of the students having left within the last half hour which gave the young man a clear path to walk straight to the Charger where he easily spotted his master and friend.

"I did it. I managed to win their silence," Xander said by way of greeting as he came up to the car.

There was something off about his tone of voice that Anakin didn't like; it was yet one more confirmation that the boy wasn't doing as well as he let on. "I sense it has cost you greatly."

Xander snorted, "A bit of an understatement."

"What happened?" Anakin asked.

"Cordy broke up with me," Xander said flatly. "She told me she couldn't handle it anymore so she decided to end it while she could. I don't really blame her, but it still sucks."

"I am sorry, Xander," Anakin replied. He sympathized with his young padawan and knew how much he cared about Cordelia. He also knew that Cordelia cared for Xander in much the same way, which is why he found their breakup so puzzling. And yet despite his puzzlement he could not help but feel somewhat responsible. He had not meant to come between them, no matter how inadvertently, but despite his intentions he had done precisely that.

Xander shook his head, "It's not your fault. I knew what I was getting into when I accepted this. I knew there would be a price to pay for keeping secrets; I just didn't think I'd be paying for it quite like this. So can we just not talk about it?"

Anakin nodded, "As you wish. But I am here if you ever feel the need to talk."

"Thanks," Xander said with a grateful half smile then he frowned in concern. "So what's up? Since school started back up you've never come to see me at the end of the school day. Is something going down? Are vampires preparing to sacrifice helpless virgins? Are demons planning to open the Hellmouth? Please tell me there's an apocalypse coming and we're going to thwart it?" he asked almost pleadingly.

Sometimes Xanders sense of humor really disturbed him, "Nothing so grandiose."

Xander sighed in apparent disappointment, "I was afraid you'd say that."

"It's a small matter really, but I will require your assistance," Anakin stated as he moved around to the driver's side. Xander fished out the keys to the Charger and tossed them to Anakin who caught them effortlessly and opened the door while Xander opened the passenger side and got in. Only when both men were seated did Xander speak up.

"Sure, anything I can do to help. So what's going on?"

"We're heading to Sunnydale General Hospital."

Xander blinked in confusion, "Why?"

"I need to verify that an enemy is actually dead."Anakin keyed the ignition and then easily pulled out of the school driveway and onto the main road. He didn't speak for a long moment as if weighing what he was about to say and just when Xander thought he wouldn't speak, he did. "Since the day I have arrived on the Hellmouth I have faced enemies that have offered me little challenge. Whether they be Vampire or Demon whether they used physical attacks, overwhelming numbers or magic, none have come close to matching my power."

"Yeah…" Xander deadpanned, "I've kinda been there for most of them."

Anakin continued on as if he hadn't heard him, "I realize now that I had grown mildly complacent against the pitiful enemies we faced on a nightly basis. I felt as if there was nothing on this world that could challenge the power I wield in the Force. That all changed two nights ago," Anakin stated flatly.

"Suddenly I'm not sure I like where this conversation is going," Xander said in a subdued tone of voice that was surprisingly _unsurprised_.

Anakin glanced his way with a questioning look, "You knew?"

"Let's just say that after having fought besides Buffy for the past two years and the numerous big bads we've faced. There's been one or two who have stood head and shoulders above the rest in becoming a big pain in our backsides. "

Anakin knew that Xander was referring to Lothos the Master and more recently Angelus.

"And then there was Giles's little comment about you facing something worse than the Zombie demon. So it wasn't so hard to figure out that you would go after the greater threat first. I _knew_ this was going to happen," Xander emphasized with conviction. "I just didn't know how or when it would happen but I knew it would. It always does. So now we do as we always do and deal."

"A lesson learned the hard way for the both of us," Anakin acknowledged.

"The Hellmouth strikes back!" Xander quipped. Anakin chuckled darkly in agreement.

"The Force is about balance between the light and dark sides, life and death—"

"—the Hellmouth has nothing to do with the Force," Xander interrupted, his voice firm as durasteel. "The Hellmouth is not about balance, it's about evil pure and simple! It doesn't belong it's…it's…" Xander seemed to consider his words for a moment as his expression turned thoughtful, "A cancer. That's what the Hellmouth is. It's a cancer within the Force, corrupting it. It does make me wonder though about how something so evil like the Hellmouth could co-exist with the Force," He mused. "Why do you think that is?"

It was a question that caught Anakin off guard. From the day he had arrived in Sunnydale Anakin had merely accepted the Hellmouth as just another aspect of the Force which had its part to play. He had drawn similarities of the Hellmouth to the world of Korriban, so long ago and so far away, which may have been rich in the Force at one point only to become tainted beyond any hope of salvation. The Hellmouth was a similar situation here, or so he had thought. The idea had never even occurred to him that something like the Hellmouth could exist outside of the Force, that it should never have belonged in the first place. It was truly an eye opening question that deserved further consideration, but they were getting off topic.

"That may be so Xander but that is a philosophical debate for another time."

"Of course. So… evil big bad some kind of Demon?"

"I am unsure of what he truly was but he was a most formidable opponent."

"So does most formidable have a name? Might be a good thing to know so I never invite him over for beer and pizza."

Anakin gave Xander an annoyed glance as he turned on to the street heading for Sunnydale general hospital.

"He called himself 'the Kurgan'," Anakin answered.

"The Kurgan…" Xander repeated the name as if tasting something bad. "Sounds ominous, but then they all usually do."

They pulled into the main parking lot of the Hospital and Anakin shut off the ignition. He carefully scanned the surrounding area but didn't notice any sign of anything out of the ordinary.

"Are we going in?" Xander asked sitting up straighter and reaching for the door handle.

"Not just yet," Anakin answered. He opened the door and stepped out which prompted Xander to do the same. He moved to the trunk of the car and popped it open then pulled out two Katana's and handed one to Xander. Xander took the blade and expertly tucked it out of sight under his coat then straightened his jacket.

Xander looked toward the main entrance to the Hospital and the side emergency entrance then back to Anakin. "You know with any other hospital in the world it would just feel wrong bringing weapons inside. But in Sunnydale, I feel remarkably under armed."

"I have something else for you," Anakin said. He pulled out a thick manual Xander had never seen before and handed it to him. Xander frowned as he accepted it and then began to casually thumb through it; noting the intricate drawings and detailed notes on each page. His eyebrows widened in surprise as he did so. "Wow…this is…"

"It's a detailed manual on Saber techniques," Anakin explained. "In the event of my death this will be but one aspect you will use to continue your training."

Xander slammed the manual shut then tossed it into the passenger side seat none too gently and looked Anakin square in the eyes "Okay, this is getting a little morbid. You're _not_ going to be dying any time soon!"

"Nor do I have any plans too. But we must be prepared for that eventuality," Anakin explained calmly. "Xander, you are my chosen apprentice. You are also the chosen heir to my estate as well my mission. There is _no one_ else to continue your training should I fall in battle. There are no other Jedi. There is no temple. There is no other source of knowledge of the Jedi arts but what I hold in my mind. I would be negligent in my duties as your master if I did not leave something behind for you to further your skills and carry on should the worse happened."

Xander shook his head. "Look…I understand. You finally met an enemy that could match you. It's only natural that you'd be a little rattled by that and—"

Xander was cut off by the harsh almost cruel laughter that escaped Anakin's throat. "Boy, do you truly believe this is the first time I have ever faced an opponent who could match me? True they were few who could, but the other night's battle was not the first time I have faced such an enemy nor do I suspect it will be the last."

"Okay, fine. I get you," Xander held up hand to forestall any response. "So are we gonna do this or what?"

"Follow me," Anakin said and then he moved off with strong purposeful strides toward the front of the hospital.

The atmosphere of the hospital was subdued and yet heavy; staff and patients moved quickly and quietly to their destinations, avoiding conversation and each other in an almost mechanical fashion. Anakin paid it no attention at first as he moved through the Hospital like a Star destroyer in pursuit of a fleeing Rebel ship; so intent he was on finding the body of the Kurgan. There was nothing timid; nothing reserved about that walk, no hint of doubt or weakness in the aura he projected, only confidence and purpose. Xander had never seen his Master like this before, it was like the man had suddenly transformed into some ethereal Juggernaught before his very eyes. His movements displayed power with every step which started at his shoulders and worked its way down. It was as if his tendons and muscles had become pistons and slabs and moving iron. It was like he had suddenly become the very essence of an unstoppable force. And standing next to him Xander couldn't help but feel hopelessly inadequate against the towering and imposing presence his master projected. Thankfully it had the desired effect on the hospital staff; none of whom wanted to get in the way of the unstoppable bulldozer on the warpath. Even the receptionist who thought about questioning them when she spotted them heading into an unauthorized area of the hospital thought better about it when she saw the shadow of inevitability on Anakin's face. And for just a fleeting moment Xander thought that the only way the situation could get more intense would be if someone started playing deep, ominous, orchestral music in the background.

They started at the hospital morgue only to find nothing there; no sign of an unidentified body, records or any clues to aid their investigation. Undaunted they carried on. Rigorous searches through hospital records and interrogation of the hospital staff also proved fruitless. They moved onward and upward floor by floor; inspecting every room with Xander running interference with the hospital staff and patients along with their families while Anakin meticulously investigated everything in every room, yet they found no sign of his body. As they moved through room after room throughout the hospital the enormity of what Anakin _wasn't _seeing began to bother him.

The debris and over turned beds were noticeably absent as were any scuffed marks or dents which would have been left behind. The lights were bright overhead casting the corridors in bright light, a stark contrast to the strobbing red lights two nights ago which had cast them in the hues of blood and night.

Anakin and Xander retraced the steps of the battle with Anakin giving Xander a detailed description of everything that had transpired. The dry wall where the Kurgan plowed through almost effortlessly had since been restored to its original condition with no evidence of it being simply rebuilt. There was no evidence of fresh paint or recent construction anywhere in the hospital. No sign of anything amiss or out of place.

Even the elevator door that Anakin had smashed the Kurgan through looked fully restored to its original condition. It was as if the battle two nights ago had never happened. They had stopped and questioned various members of the hospital staff about what had transpired but everyone they questioned denied such a battle had even taken place. As Anakin and Xander continued on through the hospital they neither witnessed nor overheard anything remotely suspicious. Nothing to indicate a battle had actually taken place within these very walls. It was, as Xander noted, as if some force had simply erased any evidence that a battle had taken place. And considering the enormity of what had happened merely two days ago there should have been something to show this place had been a warzone. Yet there was nothing! It was far too surreal even for Anakin. He had expected to see a Hospital still in disarray. Not…this!

"Nothing," Xander said sliding up next to Anakin who stood with his arms folded across his chest staring through a clear window of newborn infants in the next room. "Well, we're batting about zero here."

Anakin barely acknowledged him. "I had hoped I was wrong, that maybe there was some rational explanation. I am…confused. I'm not sure what to believe now. I am still having trouble accepting that the Kurgan could have survived."

"Did you dismember the body and see it burnt and the ashes mixed in concrete and then dumped into the ocean?" Xander asked.

Anakin scowled in annoyance, "Of course not."

Xander smirked, "Then he's not dead. Trust me on this my broody master, I know what I'm talking about. I've dealt with too many big bads and read too many comic books. This has made me an expert. We'll all be better off assuming this guy is still alive."

"And I am an expert in dealing death to my enemies. Trust _me_ on that," Anakin countered. "I do not see how he could have survived, "Stated Anakin grimly. "I pierced his heart with my blade! I felt him die!"

"If you're so sure then why are we here?" Xander asked. Anakin glowered in response.

Xander shrugged his shoulders surprising himself for that moment by how unfazed he was by his masters glowering stare, "Ah my Master you still have much to learn about life on the Hellmouth. All the rules that you used to play by? They go right out the window. Reason? Common sense? Self-preservation? Acceptable standards of hygiene? That little thing called logic? It's completely worthless here. I thought you'd figure this out already?"

Anakin sighed, "It seems I still have trouble accepting it. But you are correct, Xander. We are better off assuming the Kurgan somehow survived." Anakin smirked, "But I'm not giving up hygiene."

"Neither am I!" Xander parried, "It's just you discover _so _many _new_ and _interesting_ smells in this town!"

Anakin suppressed a desire gag at the mention of the unspeakable odors that were all too common among the demon community in Sunnydale. "Don't remind me. Some things are best left forgotten."

"Isn't knowledge part of the Jedi code?" Xander asked with a knowing smirk.

"Hmmm," Anakin's face became almost wistful as his voice changed to reflect a strange, gravelly, almost old sounding accent. "Bliss, my padawan learner, sometimes ignorance is."

Xander looked on amused if somewhat confused as he chuckled to himself. Well who would have thought, his master _did _have a sense of humor! Even if it was a joke he didn't seem to understand. It seems there maybe hope for him after all. However despite the moment of levity between them Xanders thoughts turned serious.

"So what do we do now? Head back to the library and rally the troops?"

Anakin thought for a moment then shook his head, "Patience Xander. We must first know what we're up against before we make our next move."

"Research and that means Giles," Xander said.

"For now only Giles, I've come to trust his expertise in these matters."

The two men proceeded down the pristine corridors, Anakin wearing a deeply etched frown. Xander was of course entirely correct, this place, this entire town, was the product of a darkness he had not experienced before. He knew evil, he had seen it, he had served it, but this was different. There was something giving life to a chaotic foulness in this town, its very existence was being covered with great care, for no person would stay here if they knew the truth. It was very different to the ordered evil that he had served for so many years.

Somebody here knew how to hide the truth, to fool the population, someone with plenty of resources and plenty of power. Somebody with a lot of allies.

"Does Mr. Giles have information on the leadership of this town?" Anakin asked as he advanced down this new avenue of thought.

"You probably want Will for that, she can hack the hall of records mainframe and flash download the integer point data coordinated spread sheet photoshops."

"I didn't understand half of that," Anakin answered. But what he did gather from his Padawans inane rambling was that Willow had considerable skills on a computer and perhaps was even a slicer. He suppressed a flicker of annoyance at his padawan at only just learning that fact. But now that he did know he intended to make good use of her skills.

"That's half more than I understood," Xander returned. "But Willow will. Looking for the inside scoop on this place?"

"Not just here, everywhere. What happened here is just one piece of a far larger conspiracy. And I hate conspiracies."

"Word of warning, never watch the X-Files."

"Thank you my Apprentice."

"Here to help, wanna live."

As Anakin walked down the corridor he paused at a doorway.

"Something?" Xander frowned.

"No, not a problem. Go on back to the Library, talk to Giles, I'll be along soon."

"If there's something…"

"No, go on." Anakin lightened. "We're done here; go on, I just have to check on something."

He waited until Xander set off walking, then entered the room, closing the door behind him. Inside was a woman, the same one he had saved the night before. The only difference was that now instead of being pregnant she was cradling a small child in her arms.

"Is this a good time?"

She looked over to him sharply, her surprise fading to a warm smile.

"Of course, please."

Anakin pulled up a chair, sitting quietly beside her.

"Do you remember me?" He asked, "From the other night?"

"I remember," She confirmed. "I won't ever forget what you did."

Anakin smiled with clear relief. "For a while I wondered if it was all my imagination. If you walk out there you'd never think anything had happened."

"That happens a lot. People don't see it; I mean they don't want to see it," She answered. "But it's there, you look out that window and you'd never know. But I know. Beneath the surface…it isn't just drugged up gangs is it?"

"No." Anakin answered with a slight shake of his head. "No it isn't."

"Everyone knows someone who vanished, or who died early." The woman continued. "You never get a straight answer, and eventually you stop asking."

Anakin listened carefully. It was interesting to have a different perspective. His friends knew the truth, they saw it every day, but to hear it from a person with no supernatural connections offered a valuable insight into the thoughts of the community.

"My name is Ellen by the way," She offered. "You stopped me becoming a statistic, so I guess it makes us friends."

"Anakin," he replied in kind. "Glad to have met you."

"Same here, and then some," She grinned. "My husband, well he doesn't need to know what happened. It'd just upset him."

"I understand, is he here?"

"Sleeping in the lounge. He got here just in time." She looked to the child. "He didn't miss his daughter entering the world."

"She's a beautiful child," Anakin said truthfully.

"My first. I plan another, but in a different town."

Anakin chuckled warmly, "Probably a good idea."

"This town is no place to raise a family."

"Probably not, but there is some good here."

"I've seen it." She glanced at Anakin. "Heroes are just as real as monsters."

"Not just me, I am not a true hero. But I know some."

"You are, you shouldn't be modest."

Anakin smiled back, his eyes less joyful.

"I'm not so perfect. But this child is. You should be proud."

"I am," Ellen exhaled. "Do you have a family?"

Anakin kept an even expression, his stomach tightening.

"I do. A son and a daughter."

"You hardly look old enough."

"I'm in good shape for my age," He replied simply.

"Nothing can match this, just laying here with this new life," Ellen said quietly. "Just look at her. I can't believe it; I can't put this in words."

"You don't have to."

"Of course, you must have seen this yourself."

"I… I missed the birth of my family. Twins." Anakin felt his words catching in his throat. "I was otherwise delayed. Little accident of my own."

"I'm sorry, but I know your wife must have been thinking of you."

"She was, I know she was." He smiled sadly, his eyes filling. "I'm told it was the last thing she ever said. Last thought she ever had."

"Oh, oh I'm sorry." Ellen reached out, holding his hand. "I really am."

"It's alright; it was a long time ago." He held her hand reassuringly. "But when I found out, when I saw my son with my own eyes, saw what he had become. Yes, I think I can understand this moment."

"What about your daughter?"

"I never met her," Anakin said. Technically he had, but he had not been Anakin then, he had been Vader and he had not been kind to her. She had suffered at his hands, and that knowledge was a spear turning in his chest. He had done many unconscionable things in his time, but that was close to the worst.

"That's terrible; do you know where she is?"

"I do, and it's a place I can't get to. Not yet anyway," He related gently. "But one day, one day I know I'm going to be able to go home. When my time here is done, and I've finished my mission."

"Helping people like me?"

"Defending the innocent, fighting evil," He confirmed. "Doing what I was trained to do, what I was chosen to do, what I should always have done."

"You are a defender. You're helping people."

"I hope so."

Ellen looked back at her sleeping child.

"Do you know your daughter's name?"

"Leia," He answered. "My wife loved that name; she told me she knew at age five that was going to be the name of her daughter. Like an instinct." He smiled sadly. "Luke and Leia, and I think they're perfect."

"So do I," Ellen agreed. "I'm going to call her Leia."

Anakin shook his head. "You shouldn't do that just for my sake; I mean you must have your own names?"

"None so fitting," Ellen smiled. "I don't know what it means to you, but it means everything to me. You might have missed seeing your own Leia, but you will always have a place in the life of this Leia. You will always have this moment to make up for the one you lost."

Anakin slowly placed his hand on the child's head, on Leia, feeling the gently emanation in the Force as her heart thumped. It was something he had been robbed off, something his fall had cost him and it cut deep. This was not his child, but it felt so close he could easily imagine what it would have been like. He could feel the moment, and it opened doors he had kept shut for a long time.

He knew tears were on his cheeks and he didn't care. For year after year, decade after decade he had lived with this, turning his grief into hate. Now he could simply allow it to be pure grief for the lost years. He had lost his life, he had lost his love, and he had lost his children. He could finally weep for them; he could finally understand not what he had taken from others, but what had been taken from him.

And at the door, Xander stepped back away, not saying a word, letting his friend have his moment of grief and acceptance.

On a late night, somewhere in Sunnydale, a Limousine pulled up through the drive-through of a fast food restaurant, past the mascot of a fat boy eating a burger. The black stretched limo twisted through the lane until it pulled next to the speaker mike. The window of the limo lowered but the dark night still shrouded the occupants in shadow.

"Welcome to Happy Burger. May I take your order, please?" A voice emanated from the speaker.

"Diet soda. Medium," A voice from the limousine responded.

"That'll be eighty nine cents at the window, sir."

The window raised and the car pulled forward.

Inside the car, two figures; one of African descent the other shrouded in darkness sat apart from each other.

"Sunnydale," Mr. Trick spoke up as he eyed the man next to him. "Town's got quaint. And the people? He called me 'sir'. Don't you just miss that? I mean, admittedly, it's not a haven for the brothers, you know, strictly the Caucasian persuasion her in the dale. But, you know, you just gotta stand up and salute their death rate. I ran a statistical analysis and hello _darkness,_" Trick smiled. "It makes…D.C. look…like Mayberry, and ain't nobody saying boo about it. We could fit right in here. Have us some fun."

The other figure growled from the shadows in frustration. "We're here for _one_ thing," He pulled his cloven hand from Tricks knee. Trick looked at it in disgust.

"Kill the Slayer, yeah. But still, big picture…" Trick subtly tried to point out, again. They'd had this conversation before. It had taken all of a day for Trick to pick up Faiths trail once she had eluded them in St. Louis. For nearly three weeks they had been hunting her on a zig-zag cross country marathon, tracking her from city to city as the Slayer desperately tried to escape the vamps hot on her heels. But clearly Faith didn't grasp the concept of keeping a low profile, for no matter where she went; inevitably she'd leave a trail of dust and dead demons in her wake. It made Tricks job easier in finding her. From Boston to Philadelphia, Detroit to St. Louis and from there to Dallas they'd been just a step behind her. They'd come closest to nabbing her in New Orleans where they had came within an hour of catching her. But yet again, Faith has slipped their grasp. After that she had apparently learned her lesson and disappeared entirely, until one of Tricks sources had hinted at a possible destination somewhere in California.

There were quite a few possibilities in California, each one a virtual haystack where getting lost in anonymity wasn't so much a goal, but a way of life. Trick quickly realized he'd have his work cut out for him but one place stood out more than any other. Sunnydale.

Trick had heard stories of the place from vampires who had been run out of town by a former Slayer. The stories they had told of the place had seemed too fantastical to believe. Naturally it had perked his interest in the place. What he had discovered made his mouth water.

A Hellmouth, and not just any Hellmouth either, but _the_ Hellmouth. The more Tricks research revealed, the more he liked. It would be a good place to rebuild their empire since Faith had practically shattered their organization on the East Coast.

Drug running, human trafficking, prostitution, murder, kidnapping and extortion, their criminal empire was into it all. The police had been too frightened to move against them and their local rivals had long since been purged in an orgy of slaughter. They commanded wealth and power beyond their wildest dreams until one girl had shoved a stake through the heart of their organization.

Faith the Slayer.

She had picked their organization apart. Killing their minions and destroying anything or anyone associated to them. No matter what they tried or who they sent against her, she always managed to persevere.

Her watcher was nearly as bad. For what Faith did to their organization physically her watcher did to them electronically, hacking into Tricks newly established accounts and draining them dry and tipping off the police to their human business partners and contacts and providing critical details to their crimes.

Working together the two had practically destroyed their criminal empire in a matter of three months! With each triumph of the Slayer, Kakistos became more enraged until finally he could tolerate it no longer and went after her himself. The confrontation didn't quite go as his boss boasted it would, Trick remembered.

The Slayer had humiliated him in front of their entire organization, leaving a horrible scar down his right eye in the opening exchange of the fight when she buried an ax in his face then his own sword in his crotch. Despite the fact their enraged boss eventually overpowered her; Faith had somehow managed to escape. And with her escape, any credibility their boss had left went down the drain.

Their surviving clients and business partners refused to work with them from that point on and save for a few die hard loyalists; most of their minions simply abandoned their organization. Trick had contemplated slipping away as well, having lost all respect for his boss and his sloppy handling of the situation. But he recognized a unique opportunity to advance his position in the organization if they could rebuild, and he was nothing if not ambitious. Trick was part of the 'new blood' that Kakistos had reluctantly brought into his organization over the past few years. They brought new skills and a new way of thinking for the modern age, for the modern Vampire. For as good as the old ways were, they were simply that, old and outdated in this new day in age. His 'master' for lack of a more fitting word was an old school warlord…old school as in Bronze Age. And even after all these centuries to adapt he still couldn't quite grasp how the modern world worked.

Trick on the other hand had proven himself to be rare find among vampires for the simple fact he had two qualities most vampires lacked; he had initiative and he was a forward thinker. He had immediately proven his worth by broadening their business contacts among their human counterparts on the east coast and the Midwest, most of whom were rather leery of doing business with something that regarded _them_ as its next meal. But Trick had understood one simple concept that Kakistos had never seemed to grasp. Money talks, bullshit walks and bluster gets you nowhere.

Trick hadn't stopped there. His next order of business had been to improve relations with organizations specializing with the night life of the world; in particular WolfRam and Hart. It was here that Trick began to have doubts about his boss. WolfRam and Hart was a global multi-national corporation with contacts and resources Trick could only dream about. They were into practically everything and knew practically everyone that was a player. Kakistos had been one of the firms' oldest clients and yet he had never utilized the firm to their fullest potential. Kakistos had even gone so far as to kill off a few employees at WolfRam and Hart over a trivial contract dispute which had cooled relations between them for years.

The stupidity of it simply astounded Trick.

It had taken nearly all of his considerable charm, shady deals and firm reassurances that such incidents were a thing of the past, but Trick had managed to smooth things over with the firm. And since their organizations virtual meltdown in Boston that newfound relationship would be the key to rebuilding their organization in a new location. According to his research, Sunnydale had a surprisingly large port for such a small town with easy access to major highways. The town was a stone's throw away from Los Angeles and the police here were said to have questionable morals. Oh yeah, this town had potential all right.

All they needed to do was eliminate the slayer before she could once again become a threat to them, but they could never find her!

After his humiliating defeat Kakistos had sworn revenge and vowed a blood oath that he would kill the Slayer himself. He had forbidden any and all interface in his hunt for the Slayer by anyone outside the organization. Naturally that tunnel vision of his had proven to be a problem.

Trick had quietly gone behind his back in obtaining outside help in locating her, and sure enough WolfRam and Hart had proved invaluable once again. With the information provided by the evil law firm they'd managed to corner the Slayer and her watcher at a newly established safe house on the Southside of Boston. Kakistos had quickly over powered the Slayer then took his time in brutally killing her watcher right in front of her in sadistic delight. But just as Kakistos was about to turn his attention to Faith she had somehow managed to break free from her supposed slayer tough bonds and escape, thus resulting in the three week hunt to find her.

Now they were in Sunnydale near the end of their rope, or as Trick saw it, the start of a new beginning. The limo pulled up to the window and Trick lowered the window again. He handed the boy a dollar and the boy handed him his soda and change.

"Have a nice night, sir," The boy smiled.

"Right back at ya," Trick said as he sat back against his seat.

"The Slayer," Kakistos rumbled angrily. "I'm going to rip her spine from her body, and I'm going to eat her heart and suck the marrow from her bones."

Trick smacked his lips. "Now _I'm_ hungry."

In a blur of motion Trick lunged out the window with his game face on. The boy tried to move away in shock but Trick already had him by the shirt. The boy screamed as Trick pulled him through the window and out of the building and half way into the Limo. As the limo sped off the boys legs were kicking frantically as they drove passed the happy burger mascot, its mouth wide open to take another bite from a burger.


	14. Chapter 14 The Slayers

***Authors forward Note: Hey guys, sorry for taking so long to post but deployment and generally just getting back into this story took its time with me. For over a year I was forced to abandon this story just as it started to get really good. Now that Im back Im hoping to pickup where I left and get this story rolling as it should. I would greatly appreciate your feedback.**

**Jon***

It was a typical night at the Bronze with the club filled to about half capacity. A band played on stage with a rather upbeat song that had the dance floor filled with groping couples and many more hopefuls. Off to the sides the pool tables and juice bar had a decent crowd; all of them were enjoying themselves, basking in the enjoyment of a fun relaxing evening and good company of their friends. Sitting in the lounge area Xander barely heard or felt any of it. His breakup with Cordelia was still a raw and bleeding wound he was doing his best not to think about. In fact he didn't want to think about anything. He just wanted to let his mind go blissfully blank and just bask in the pure energies of the Force. But he couldn't. The heightened enjoyment his connection usually brought in the Bronze felt hollow and weak. It felt as if his own mind and heart were weighing him down, sabotaging him from reaching a level of attainment in the Force where he could simply relax and decompress.

Even worse was the fact that a Vampire had decided to crash the party. If the ghostly pale skin and hungry expression on his face didn't give him away, the cloths surely did. Xander didn't even need the Force to spot this one. He was dancing with a sultry brunette he couldn't help but notice. The girl was the hottest one on the dance floor which no doubt was what drew the vampire towards her. What was more worrying was the fact she seemed to be receptive to his advances. Definitely not of the good for her long term health.

Xander could see him, the vamp he was already beginning to think of as 'Disco Dave' whisper something to the girl before reluctantly prying himself from her grasp. She seemed really reluctant to let him go but he said something to her that apparently satisfied her. He was moving to the back hall in what Xander knew to be the men's restroom. Xander stretched out with the Force in the direction of the bathroom only to feel the empty hole in the Force as the only presence there.

Good. The vamp was alone, which had just made his job a lot easier. Xander got to his feet quickly, something which caught the attention of someone else sitting across from him who eyed him curiously.

Xander moved to the hall to intercept the vamp before he could rejoin the crowd and the gorgeous brunette he had been dancing with. Sparing a glance in her direction Xander could see her anxiously glance at her watch before looking around at the club in apparent boredom. She seemed really into the guy and was apparently waiting on him to get back even as she turned down offer after offer to dance by other guys. Xander shrugged internally. Some women had weird tastes but at least he was saving her from a gruesome fate.

Pushing aside the thought of the dark haired siren Xander made it to the edge of the hall and bent down as if he were about to tie his shoes. In actuality Xander removed his backup stake from the small holster hidden under his pant leg; a tool given to him by his master to carry an additional backup stake should he ever be disarmed in battle. Or in situations where subtlety was required, just like now.

Xander easily unclipped the weapon and smoothly rose to his feet. At the same time he transferred the stake to a reverse grip then slid it up his sleeve, careful to keep a firm grip on it. Satisfied that he was ready he moved into the hall as he centered himself in the Force as best he could. His timing could not have been more perfect. He heard the flush of a urinal just as he made a few feet from the door. Feigning nonchalance Xander crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, patiently waiting for the vamp to emerge. Within moments the door opened as the vamp stepped out. He had a satisfied smirk on his face as if he'd just found his mark for the night. Too bad he wasn't going to make it.

Slowly pushing himself off the wall Xander moved to block his path as if he had a question.

"Hi. You know, just between you and me, that retro disco look totally went out of style about twenty years ago. Thought you'd like to know that."

The vamp gave him an annoyed look but simply tried to move aside. Xander blocked his path.

"I mean seriously if my Ex say you wearing that she'd berate you endlessly. You're better off high tailing it out of here with your tail tucked between your legs. And what's with you not washing your hands? That's totally unhygienic!" It was the only chance he was going to give the undead creature to leave peacefully.

"Get out of my way punk!" The vampire said menacingly.

_Guess not_.

"Yea sure, just answer me this one question will ya?" Xander asked as he feigned innocence.

"What?" The Vamp snapped in annoyance.

"Wood or sunlight?" Xander asked casually.

"What!?" The vamp asked in stunned disbelief.

"We'll go with wood that always works," Xander acted instantly. As the vamps eyes widened in surprise, Xander whipped out his stake then slammed it directly into the Vamps chest before the startled demon had a chance to react.

As the undead demon exploded into a pile of dust Xander shook his head. Some demons never learned. Xander smirked and twirled his stake with a little flourish then slid his stake into his waist band then slipped his shirt over it. He flexed his back a few times to adjust the stake so it wouldn't accidentally stick him or chafe, then he turned around.

Standing behind him with her arms across her chest and wearing a dark expression on her face, stood Buffy.

_Uh oh…_

"Hey Buffy, what's up?" Xander asked innocently.

"What do you think you're doing?" Buffy asked with a flat tone of voice and her face unreadable.

"Is something wrong?" Xander asked. He wasn't sure why but if his slaydar was working correctly Buffy seemed upset about something.

"Don't change the subject with me, Xander. I saw everything."

Xander frowned. "What? Dusting disco Dave? I think I did the entire Bronze a favor getting rid of the seventies reject."

Buffy's flat expression shifted into scowl. "That's my job, Xander…what if you'd been hurt?"

_What!? Where was _this_ coming from?_

"Buffy, I've been slaying for a few years now. I think I know the basics of not getting hurt and knowing when I'm in over my head. That guy," Xander motioned to the pile of dust behind him. "Was so not a problem to deal with."

"Xander, I've always trusted you. Really. But when it comes to slaying you're reckless and you jump into the fray without thinking. Maybe you should hang back more…in-in a support kind of role? Be…I don't know… more fray… adjacent?"

Where the hell had this come from anyways? Back last year she had no problem with him being knee deep in the Slay. And now, suddenly, it she seemed like she got a bug up her ass whenever he tried to do anything beyond bringing the donuts. She didn't get this way with Willow or even Oz. Why him? Why now all of a sudden? What had changed?

"Buffy," He snapped, "I can handle myself just fine."

"No Xander! No, you can't! It's my job, not yours! _I'm_ the Slayer!"

Xander felt as if he couldn't have been hit with a greater insult. "Oh, for the love of god, Buffy!" He snapped angrily, "Vampires don't dust themselves, you know. While you were on vacation last summer, someone had to pick up the slack. I think I did pretty okay, all things considered. Believe it or not, I'm not the helpless idiot you saved from Darla anymore!"

It was official. He was _really_ starting to get annoyed by her whole holier than though, me the slayer hero, you Xander in distress act. For one thing, he wasn't the helpless, wide eyed love interest who needed saving 24/7. They were about par for course on the whole saving the other's life thing, and she'd made it perfectly clear over the years she didn't see him that way. Second, he was a friggen' Jedi knight, a defender of peace and justice. He didn't need Buffy acting like his mommy... he had Master Anakin for that!

"Xander! Be reasonable!"

"I am being reasonable, Buffy. Maybe if you'd see past your own preconceptions you'd see that. This isn't about you."

"What's it about then, Xander? What's driving you then? Is it all some vengeance kick over Jessie? Seriously Xander, you're going to get yourself killed. Do you really want to put Willow through that again?!"

Xander went stark still, his entire body suddenly taunt with tension as his wide eyes bore into Buffy with an intensity she had never seen before. Then slowly he seemed to relax but his entire demeanor darkened considerably.

Slowly Buffy paled as her brain began to catch up with her mouth. During their entire friendship there had only been subject that was absolutely taboo: Never bring up what happened to Jessie. She hadn't only broken that rule, she just rubbed his face right in it like a bad dog, and there was no way she'd ever be able to take it back.

Slowly her jaw dropped as the implications hit her. She might not have only ruined her friendship with Xander, but once he told Willow... my god, what had she done?

Xander moved to walk forward and Buffy moved to block his path.

"Get out of my way, Buffy."

"Listen Xander, I didn't mean to..."

"Get out of my way," Xander repeated. His voice was frighteningly calm but held an undercurrent of a threat in it. She had never heard him take that kind of tone with her, ever. And in the face of it her anger evaporated like smoke. She knew she had crossed a line she shouldn't have crossed.

"Hold on I..."

"Get out of my way, _now!_" But Buffy didn't move. Xander was so angry he was literally seeing red. He had been on edge all day thinking about everything that had happened over the last week. All his fears and inadequacies, his failings and humiliations and finally the indignation he had just been put through was just too much to take. Without thinking Xander reached out to the Force to bolster his strength and used it to shove her aside. Hard.

Buffy lost her balance from the sudden and surprising display of strength and fell on her ass. She looked up at Xander in complete shock. He had never touched her like that before.

"Xander?" Buffy muttered quietly.

But he was already gone; moving with a swiftness she had never seen him use before. And in her shocked and confused state she didn't notice the door slam shut behind him without him even touching it.

It had taken him nearly twenty minutes to find his center and some measure of calm. His mind just kept repeating Buffy's words about being 'fray adjacent'. How could she do that to him? After everything they had been through together? It felt as if she suddenly turned on him for no good reason; like she had just knifed him in the back. But more disturbingly she had dredged up the painful memories of Jessie; a wound that even now still hadn't fully healed. Once again he could feel his control slipping as he thought back to her accusations. And it didn't help she was on the other side of the club. Xander closed his eyes and reached out to the Force and felt a slight tremor through the Force emanate from the dance floor.

Xander eyed the dark-haired girl whose 'dancing partner' (obvious vamp) he'd drawn off and dusted in the back hallway of the Bronze. She looked pretty pissed that the guy had wandered off and never come back. From the looks of her, she didn't get ignored or forgotten often, and Xander could certainly see why.

She noticed him watching her, and gave him a 'Come hither' look. He smiled genuinely at her, but didn't move from his place. Between the way he'd been flattened by Cordy earlier and then taken to pieces by Buffy when she came upon him in the hall with his victim's dust, he barely had the energy to be nice, let alone converse with anyone. He turned and caught the bartender's attention, ordering a glass of orange juice. Once he'd slaked his thirst, he figured, he'd go see his Master and work out some of the negative emotions he didn't need distracting him. He'd already had enough for one night.

The Force stirred within him, the familiar feeling he connected with Buffy's approach. Maybe she had realized she was being a bit harsh, and was going to apologize. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, he turned, smiling widely. But instead of his small and mighty friend, it was the brunette he'd, unbeknownst to her, saved from the vamp. Sex wrapped in leather, his mind supplied.

For a moment, the girl's expression was startled, but it melted into a version of hunger he'd rarely if ever seen directed at himself. "Wanna dance?" she purred, standing much closer than socially acceptable.

Okay, first reaction? An unspoken hell yeah. But Xander realized quickly that his original plan, to go work with Anakin, really still was the best, considering his day. Still, there was no need to be rude. No, he denied internally, there was no ulterior motive here, no sir.

"Hey. My name's Xander. I don't think we've met before. You just move to town?" Okay, not quite as lame as the first thing he'd said to Buffy when he met her, but so not impressive. Oh, well, training tonight, remember?

"Yeah," she replied, "I just got here, heard this was where the action was." She narrowed her eyes. "I like action." She was studying his body like a surgeon deciding where to cut, although he didn't think any surgeon looked at their patients with that much heat. "You an Action Man?"

"Uhm, I guess so," Xander managed to not stammer, but barely. "I manage," he continued a bit more in control.

"Cool," she growled, grabbing his hand and pulling him away from the glass of juice he'd never actually touched, "Manage this."

And they were on the dance floor. She danced fluidly and suggestively, and Xander was grateful for the added grace he'd obtained through his training. She started out just moving to the music in front of him, but before he knew it had happened she was plastered against him so closely he could smell her shampoo and soap. His mind began to submit to the signals his body was sending him, and he put his hands on her hips, following their lead unconsciously to heat up his own movements. Soon his mind was completely on auto-pilot, and the program must have come from some other body, because he'd never moved quite like that before in his life. Her hands were running through his hair, smoothing over his chest, briefly grabbing his hips before rising in the air. He was intoxicated by her touch, by her smell. He could almost taste her! He looked out in the crowd, barely seeing, and caught a glimpse of Willow's wide eyes and Buffy's open mouthed stare, but all that his mind could comprehend was a primal desire to move against his partner. She turned and ground her hips against him, and his brain almost whited out.

The song was over too soon, or it might have been all night, he wasn't quite sure. They stopped moving, and he mentally shook himself and re-centered his focus. Her face was flushed, and her gaze calculating. Before she could say anything, he blurted, "Still don't know your name."

"So you know what to groan later?" she asked huskily. "Faith. I'm Faith." Her husky smile turned into a naughty grin, "So what say we jet, go into the alley way and get to know each other a little better?"

Xander made to respond but something behind her caught his eye. He looked up and noticed two vamps that seemed like village people rejects carrying out a dazed girl on both arms and looking entirely suspicious, hoping no one was paying any attention to what they were doing. Risking a quick glance in Buffy's direction Xander frowned slightly when he didn't see her but a very angry Willow glaring towards the front entrance while Oz tried to placate her. Turning slightly, Xander barely made out a petite blond figure as it bolted through the front entrance.

"So you game?" Faith asked which drew Xanders attention back toward hers.

Xander looked to her, then to the now slowly closing back door then to the front door where Buffy had apparently left through. Cursing his luck Xander did the only thing he could think of in the spur of the moment. He ditched Faith and moved to walk toward the door to save the girl from the Vampires.

Faith blinked. She looked toward the guy who she _knew _just didn't ditch her then blinked again. Yep, he was leaving. That son of a bitch! How dare he get her all hot and bothered then just leave. Who the hell did he think he was dealing with? Admittedly her intentions with him hadn't been entirely honest from the get go. She'd felt something from him, something she couldn't identify, and being a Slayer she had decided to get him alone to investigate and interrogate. She knew for certain he was human, which was always something she could tell right of the bat, which meant she couldn't use her more extreme measures in dealing with him. He seemed like one of those guys who pretended to be decent but you could never trust that. If he was harmless and not a threat she give him the ride of his life before moving on for what she came for. If he wasn't harmless she would have to rough him so he knew the error of his ways and make him repent for being an asshole. It was a win win situation for her.

But now he was getting away. Thus proving he was a prick.

Faith scowled and moved off in pursuit of him intent on giving the son of a bitch a piece of her mind.

After she cleared the back door she easily spotted him moving towards the back of the alley behind some dumpsters. She moved swiftly and silently to follow him but was suddenly caught off guard for only a moment when she saw him pull a stake from under his coat from his lower back. Her Slayer instincts kicking in she knew the situation had suddenly become more complex than she first thought, so she decided to stretch out with her senses. She smelt them before she heard them; that familiar musty odor so common to vampires, no matter how much they tried to hide it. It was similar to the musty odor from Diana's old dusty tomes. Not necessarily unpleasant but very distinctive.

As they moved closer she could hear the girls frantic whimpering as she tried to plead with the vamps to let her go but they only taunted her in reply, telling her gruesome tales of how they would drain her dry. Faith rolled her eyes, these guys had no imagination.

She looked to the guy who ditched her with a calculating gaze as he crept forward. Okay so he had spotted the two vamps taking the girl into the alley way and he decided to go rescue her. Which placed him firmly in the 'not a creep' category. Faith was also impressed with his ability to spot the vamps. She had only spotted that one and not these two; somehow they had escaped her notice. She would have to make sure that didn't happen again, but at the same time she couldn't help but have a growing respect for Xander's courage. The guy had to have some big brass ones to take on two vamps. He looked like a fighter-sure had the build of one, but she didn't like his chances of facing off against two vampires who –now that she rounded the dumpster to get a look at them—seemed to be the undead versions of heavy weight lifters. The guy was going to get himself killed if she didn't intervene. Okay, so he had a good excuse for walking off on her. All's forgiven.

Just as the vampires turned to look at him Faith made her move. Rushing forward she snatched the stake from his right hand and pushed him aside against the brick wall. "You don't mind if I borrow that do you?" She called back then she launched herself into the fight.

"Hell yes I mind!" Xander shot back as he straightened up from his sudden up close and personal encounter with a brick wall.

She moved with a swiftness and grace that he was entirely familiar with as she laid into the two vamps. He sighed as he just _now_ realized what those familiar feelings he felt from her actually meant.

_New Slayer_

She was laying into them with heavy blows that had both vamps staggering back and away from her. One of the vamps swung a heavy hook at Faith who ducked under the blow of the first vamp. She spun in the direction of the second to her right and lashed out with a heavy kick to the chest of the vampire that knocked it to the ground. Turning back to the first vamp the two exchanged hooks jabs and blocks as they went toe to toe, all the while Faith kept up her witty commentary.

"You know, I was going to give you a piece of my mind, but now..," she ducked under another cross, "... I have to respect your work ethic. Good job by the way..." She kicked the vampire in the face making it stumble into some trashcans with an echoing clang, "just do not do it again."

Xander shrugged, "I would have staked him already." As if in response in response Faith spun in the direction of the second vamp trying to sneak up behind her and buried the stake in its chest.

"You were saying?"

"Didn't your mother tell you not to play with your food before you eat?" Xander asked archly.

"Well, look at the mouth on you. What's your problem?" Faith replied.

He smiled and snatched his stake back and said, "Well, Little Miss Slayage, you stole my stake, threw me into a wall, and ruined my stress relief opportunity. In exchange I get to annoy. Sounds fair to me."

"Hey, don't tell me you seriously thought you could take these guys," Faith said.

Xander grinned, "Actually yeah I could, even though I'm not a Slayer." His attention shifted to the first vamp as it got back to its feet. "You know what they say, that assumptions makes an ass out of you and me?"

Faith and the first vampire once again began laying into each other; exchanging vicious combinations while Xander studied her technique. Well more like Faith laying into him and his desperate attempt to fend her off.

"Good thing for you I'm the Slayer then, cause I'm definitely down for the slay and lay. Get what I'm saying?"

"At least someone's got their priorities in the right order," Xander grunted to himself.

"What's that?" Faith asked as she connected with a solid jab which caused the vamp to stagger backwards.

"Nothing!" Xander looked away quickly in embarrassment.

Looking to his right Xander noticed the girl was still standing there watching the entire fight with numb confusion. "Hey, why are you still here?" Xander asked.

The girl whimpered and then turned to take off down the alley towards the main street and nearly trampled over two people running the opposite way.

NO!" Xander shouted. The last thing he wanted was some girl frightened out of her mind running around Sunnydale. Reaching out with the Force Xander was able to grip the young girls mind and stop her panic induced flight before it could begin.

"Perhaps it would be best if you waited inside and called someone to pick you up," Xander said as he applied the Force suggestion.

The girl replied flatly, "Perhaps I should go inside and call someone to pick me up."

Xander smiled reassuringly, "Move along now."

The girl turned and walked back to the club.

"Whoa what's going on?" Willow asked breathlessly.

Oz took a second to study the fight then offered his own thoughts, "I'm going to go out on a limb and say a new Slayer's in town."

"Your powers of observation astound even me," Xander countered with a smirk.

"WILL YOU SHUT UP ALREADY?!" Faith roared as her fist cracked into the face of the vampire. The vampire s face then slammed into the brick wall of the alley. The vampire tried to do its best to get to its feet but its arms and legs wouldn't cooperate.

Xander smirked, "Not till I get my apology."

"For what!?" Faith asked irritably.

"For stealing _my_ kills," Xander shifted his body weight. "I'll keep this short because I've already had this conversation tonight with one Slayer and am in no mood to have it with the new girl. Just because I'm not hopped up on the Slay mojo doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing."

Faith blinked as something occurred to her. "Oh. Sorry. I get it. Demon hunter guy. Wicked cool. And here I thought you were just some dumbass looking to be a hero."

He bopped her on the forehead playfully with the knobby end of the stake.

"Apology accepted Miss Faith..."

"Faith. Just call me Faith. So how did you know I was the Slayer?"

"I've probably met more Slayers than most Watchers," Xander answered.

"Huh?"

"I've been friends with Buffy for three years. I knew Kendra. Now I know you. Three for three." Xander looked down and eyed a rusted broken metal chair and picked it up then handed it to her.

Faith took the chair with a questioning look until Xander smirked and nodded to the vamp slowly trying to get up. A look of insane glee crossed her features as she walked over to the kneeling vamp then pulled back the chair like a makeshift baseball bat then let it fly. The resulting beating would have made a professional wrestler smile with pride. She wailed on the vampire to the point the chair itself was became a twisted mangled reflection of itself. She stepped back and again held the chair like a makeshift baseball bat. When the vamp finally pushed itself to its knees Faith reared back and swung with all her might. The sharp metal of the jagged edge bit deep into the vampires' neck, removing the head from the body in a shower of exploding dust.

"Did you just cut a vampires head off with a folding metal chair?" Willow gaped.

"Yeah?" Faith responded.

"That was awesome!" Willow beamed.

"Thanks Red," Faith smiled then she turned back to Xander, "So who's Kendra?"

"Don't they tell you anything?"

"Not really," Faith shrugged.

Xander looked around the alley as if it wasn't the best place to talk.

"Maybe we should head inside."

Faith shrugged, "Hey, yeah whatever. So where's this other slayer friend of yours, Buffy right?"

Xanders grin faded somewhat, "Yeah she is." Xander looked to Willow and Oz. "Where is she anyway?"

Willow look shifted between guilt and anger, a combination Xander had never seen before from her, "She…she mentioned the subject that shall never be talked about and I snapped at her. She left."

Xander's renewed spirits evaporated instantly. But before he could comment on it he felt a surge of strong emotion directly from Faith; a twisting of fear and anger that bubbled to the surface for a brief second before it was rapidly forced back down and replaced by something he couldn't read. The sheer intensity of those emotions had hit his senses with near physical force and Xander had to blink several from the effect of it. He looked to Faith with renewed scrutiny but she had already turned back toward the club as she struck up a conversation with Willow and Oz.

Slowly Xander turned to follow them as he centered his focus on Faith and her powerful seesawing emotions.

Buffy splashed water on her face as she looked herself in the mirror. What had she been thinking? How could she have done something so stupid? How could she have said something so insensitive? Well, it was done now. It was time to face Willow and own up to what she had done. Buffy hoped she would forgive her. Their friendship was strong enough to survive something like this, right?

Buffy took a deep breath to steel her resolve. She grabbed a paper towel to dry her face, took another deep breath and then left the bathroom. She walked slowly toward their table and spotted Xander at the bar pointedly ignoring her. She sat down nervously and suddenly her plan evaporated in the look of concern on Willow's face.

"Buffy what's wrong?"

"Wil-"Buffy chocked for a moment the swallowed. She steeled herself and began again. "Willow I did something really stupid," Buffy managed to stammer out.

Willows look of concern only grew, "What is it?"

"Please don't be angry with me," Buffy pleaded. To Willow her voice sounded frantic.

"Angry?" Willow looked surprised. "Why would I be angry?"

"I did something stupid… something really, _really_ stupid."

"What is it!?" Willow asked again now looking slightly alarmed.

Buffy swallowed nervously. "I stumbled onto Xander in the Bathroom. I saw him dust a Vampire and…we got into an argument."

Willow nodded, indicating that she was following along. Oz was glancing between the two women then eyed a very visibly upset Xander then he seemed to nod to himself in understanding.

"Well…it didn't go so well."

"Obviously," Willow said as she eyed the visibly upset Xander across the Bronze. "What did you say?"

Buffy swallowed nervously. This was it. "I…asked Xander to be more fray…adjacent."

Willow blinked indignantly, "What? Why!?"

"Willow please, not you too!"

"What do you mean me too?" Willow asked with a small frown. "We've been doing this for years now. And lately we've gotten really, really good at it! That was pretty mean to say…and does that mean you want all of us to quit?"

"No…no that's not what I'm saying!" Buffy swallowed again. She'd seen it firsthand how good he'd gotten but that didn't mean she wasn't frightened for him, for all of them. Didn't he see she was doing this for him? For all of them? Willow had the good sense to hang back in a fight and her Magic mojo had proven useful in the past and would prove useful in the future. Oz seemed to know his limits when it came to slaying and never really ventured beyond them. His super senses could locate vamp and demon hideouts she couldn't hope to find. Beyond that he hung back and fired crossbow bolts in support. But Xander? He was reckless. He didn't hang back; he jumped right into the thick of the fray! He was going to get himself killed. Couldn't Willow See that? Didn't she understand that? She had to make her see that. She was doing this for them. So they could have the life she never could. She loved them and would do anything for them. Even if she had to protect them from themselves.

Before she could continue however she caught Willow staring wide eyed at the dance floor while Oz was looking on with an amused expression. With her back to the dance floor Buffy didn't see what they were staring at so she turned slightly to get a better look. There on the dance floor were two people practically having sex with their clothes on. One was a beautiful brunette girl Buffy had never seen before. She was wild and vivacious and her movements were confident and graceful. Dancing with her, matching her for move for move was Xander.

Buffy's jaw nearly fell through the Floor. None of them had ever seen him dance like that.

"I think he's getting over it," Oz observed from next to Willow.

"He's….good," Buffy said in a hollow voice. "He's never danced like that with me before." Buffy said quietly. But she had done something similar to him. That first night back after facing the Master. She had been in full on bitch mode and she thought could use Xander to make Angel jealous. She'd given him the dance of his life just to get her undead lover to notice her. She had shameless used him then. And now it seemed Xander was returning the favor for her benefit. She couldn't understand the sudden pang of jealousy that caught in her throat. She looked away quickly.

"I've never seen him dance like that. I never knew he could," Willow said quietly.

Oz nodded in a manly manner and added his two cents worth. "He's good. So is she."

Buffy shook her head of the sight and managed to return her mind to the task at hand. She couldn't afford distractions, she needed Willow's support. And with the way Xander's body was moving…so…so…

Willow?" Buffy hurriedly asked bringing her friends attention back to herself. "While we were talking and I was trying to explain things to him…I sorta messed up."

"Okay," Willow nodded. Her eyes flickered back to the dance floor for a moment; her expression hurt and sullen, then she shifted her attention back to Buffy. Oz leaned back in his seat with slight frown as he studied the two girls more intently.

"I sorta…brought up…Jessie… and I—"

'You _what!?_" Now willow's expression was one of outrage.

Buffy's resolved shattered. "Willow I didn't mean to—"

"No, don't ever!" Willow replied angrily. "Never ever bring that subject up!"

Buffy's face fell and tears threatened to escape her eyes, "It was _my _fault. And I just don't want the same thing to happen to Xander. I don't want to put you through that again!"

Willows faced turned as red as a ripe tomato in sheer anger. She took a moment to calm herself "Buffy, None of us blame you for what happened to Jessie, so you stop feeling guilty about that right here this instant! Second….well I don't have a second unless it's to say that I'm very angry with you right now. I can understand your reasoning and even maybe support it a little. But you never should have brought Jessie up. I…I…I don't want to look at you right now I'm so angry…or…or even for the next few days!"

Oz placed a placating hand on Willows, "Willow."

Willow looked to Oz and shook her head angrily. "No Oz. Buffy did something stupid and I'm very upset right now." She looked to Buffy. "You need to leave."

"Willow I'm sorry."

"And I will accept your apology, Buffy. But I'm really angry right now."

"Are we still friends? Are we gonna be okay?"

Willow looked at Buffy indignantly, "How could you ask me that, after all we've been through? We'll be okay Buffy but…not now. Not right now. Please just leave."

Buffy got up and moved swiftly to the exit, unable to stop the tears from flowing.

She made it outside and bolted through the streets of Sunnydale crying the whole way. She had messed up. She had messed up so badly and now her friends who she had just got back were angry with her again. They were angrier than she'd ever seen them. She made it three blocks before she forcefully got her emotions under control. She took a side alley and stopped a t-junction crossing two alleys to catch her breath from her mad dash from the Bronze and firm her resolve. She knew she had crossed a line she shouldn't have but the damage had been done. She'd have to face the music and deal with the consequences. They were worth it and more.

Buffy's head snapped up in alarm and she took stock of her surroundings. T-junctions were notorious bad spots day and night, so much so that most people tended to avoid them. They also made perfect spots for ambushes.

"Slayer!"

Buffy rolled her eyes. She just had to think it!

There were six of them coming from either end of the alley, two on each side, surrounding her all armed with swords or pikes and wearing what looked like military uniforms. Buffy blinked in disbelief.

"Oh look it's my adoring fan club. You didn't have to dress up in matching…ah…whatever they are just to see little ole me!" Buffy quipped as she readjusted herself ever so subtly into a defensive posture.

A seventh demon stepped forward past his armed comrades who had air of command about him. He stopped several feet from Buffy and stood so ramrod straight as to be stiff as a board. He placed his hands behind his back and regarded her for a moment with clinical interest.

"You are the Slayer, Buffy Summers; Guardian of the human sheep and vanquisher of the impure vermin that tarnishes the name of demon."

Buffy's eyes narrowed. "So what of it?"

The demon turned away with an air of casual dismissal that nearly made Buffy bristle with indignation, as if the demon didn't view her as a threat or worthy of his time. He would have to be the first to die.

"Our organization has faced your kind before. Slayers are no match for those of pure demon blood and spirit. The same cannot be said for the tainted half-breeds and mongrels that prowl these streets in ever increasing numbers. But as much as we would love to cleanse this town of the mongrel filth, sadly we are not here for them…or for that matter even you."

"Gee I feel so honored" Buffy replied drolly.

"What you feel is irrelevant, Slayer. However you may still prove useful.

Buffy smiled sardonically "I somehow doubt it."

The demon raised a single eyebrow on its face but otherwise showed no emotion. In fact taking a moment to study the other demons around her Buffy didn't sense any of the prefight jitters and eagerness most demons relished in before they came to blows. These demons felt…cold. As if they were held in check but some measure of fierce self restraint that was atypical of what she was used to. Not one of them had so much as moved an inch during this brief exchange as they held their weapons across their chests in an oddly formal way.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Buffy demanded.

There was the faintest flicker of a smile before it vanished from the demons face "We are the scourge. And we are here for this champion of the Light; Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker."

"And what makes you think I would know anything about him?" Buffy asked, as much to stall for time as to fish for information.

"Our intelligence network is quite extensive Ms Summers. They have been here for a long time now, gathering information on our target and his allies. We had hoped to acquire Mr. Harris as he seems to be the one with the most pertinent information on our target but as with any field operation it hasn't gone quite to plan; which makes our little chance encounter here such a boon to our mission."

Buffy's insides turned to ice at that casual statement. These demons were targeting her friends. She didn't care for the reasons why they were doing it, only that they were. She would not allow it to happen!

She moved before she had even made the conscious decision to act. A right hook connected with demons face just as his eyes widened in surprise. Buffy quickly followed up with a left hook then kicked his legs out from under him knocking him on his back. She drew her stake in one swift and graceful motion and then brought it down to plant it in his heart. The demons hand arrested hers mid stroke; the tip of the stake mere millimeters from impaling his heart.

"Impressive Slayer" the Demon regarded her for a moment "but not that impressive."

Stars suddenly exploded into Buffy's vision as she reeled back a step from the blow she hadn't even seen coming. She took half a second to clear her vision and was dismayed to see the demon back on its feet in the same pose as before.

"As I have said once before Slayer, we have faced your kind. We know all the strengths and weaknesses of a Slayer. And while your victories over the tainted mongrels Angelus and the Master mark you as a Slayer of note, you have never faced the likes of us!"

Buffy snorted inelegantly "Blah, blah, blah, is that all you demons can say? Do you know how many times I've heard that line? And it's usually followed by me plunging a stake through said demons heart…or a sword in the gut….or even beheading! So color me unimpressed."

"As you wish, Slayer. We were willing to spare you and your friends to get what we want—"

-Buffy snorted in derision.

"But if you wish to make things difficult then so be it." The demon took a single step back and nodded almost imperceptibly.

As if on cue the other demons brought their weapons up and moved forward as their leader moved back. "I want her alive; however she doesn't have to be completely intact."

The demons responded with some deep and guttural sound that Buffy guessed was their native language before fanning out to completely surround her.

The first demon in front of her came at her with an overhand chop of his sword while the demon behind her attempted to stab her in the back while her attention was on the threat to her front. Their moves were so perfectly timed as to be in sequence with each other. It didn't matter. Rather than moving backward and away from the overhand slash as they had expected, Buffy instead sidestepped to the right. She grabbed the extended pike with her left hand and wrenched it upward to block the sword strike. Her right hand shot out in a knife hand chop to the demons throat to stun it before she followed up with a round kick to the face that knocked the demon to the ground. Using her momentum she dropped into a crouch midway through her move and swept the legs out from the demon behind her then planted her stake in his chest for good measure.

Two more demons sprang at her instantly from both sides, and Buffy rolled forward; her right hand instantly finding purchase with the sword handle of the first demon. She gripped it securely then sprang to her feet and beheaded its former owner in one swift motion just as he staggered to his feet. Two more demons, again from either side, sprang at her with both sword and pike. Buffy parried the pike strike of the demon directly into his buddy and she was momentarily caught off guard by the electrical discharge that enveloped the demon and dropped him to the ground, stunned…but alive. Buffy recovered her wits and went to remove his head but a sword blocked her strike. The next exchange went decidedly nowhere as she traded strikes with two demons, both armed with swords, before being forced to disengage and put some distance between them when a third demon again tried to jab her in the back with a pike.

Okay, first impressions? They worked as a team and a very well coordinated team at that. When they moved they moved in twos or even all at once to hit her from all sides, always together. They covered each other and coordinated their efforts and they clearly weren't bothered by the loss of two of their comrades in the opening exchange. She had hoped that the loss of their two friends would upset the rest and throw them off balance or make them angry enough to forget their teamwork and come at her in a rage. Angry meant stupid and that she could handle. Sadly that didn't seem to be the case here.

Buffy barely had time to register this before they were on her again and with greater intensity. It was taking everything she had just to stay alive. They would hit her hard, coming at her all at once before half would break off and then try to hit her from another angle. They did everything they could to keep her off balance and to prevent her from capitalizing on any mistakes she could exploit. It was frustrating and it was starting to wear her down. Buffy decided to play things more cautious as she traded space for time. She managed to maneuver her enemies to her front and kept them off balance enough so they couldn't flank her but it was taking considerable effort. A demon stumbled; tripping over a conveniently placed coke can and Buffy wasted no time in taking advantage of the momentary distraction. She brought her sword down in one fluid stroke removing the left army of the demon cleanly, continuing on to cut through bone and sinew of the demons left thigh but not quite severing the leg. The demon fell to the ground in a howl of pain that momentarily distracted its companions…exactly as Buffy had hoped it would. Buffy somersaulted up and over one of the distracted demons and removed its head from its body. She tried to follow up immediately with another kill but the remaining demons quickly moved out of reach, leaving their wounded screaming companion behind. Buffy casual twirled her sword as she advanced upon them then slammed the blade down through the throat of the wounded demon, ending its life. Really, his bellows of anguish were really starting to annoy her!

The remaining two demons hesitated and held back clearly not having anticipated the thought of actually failing against the Slayer. Buffy didn't even give them a second to recover their wits. She pounced on them in a flash; her sword cutting through the air like a malevolent whirlwind. It was over in a matter of seconds as the demons cut down in short order leaving Buffy alone with the leader of the group who still stood in his ramrod straight poise, not having moved an inch during the entire exchange.

"Guess it's just you and me, now. Got any last words?" Buffy asked with a sickly sweet smile.

The demon gave an amused chuckle of its own. "Yes, three actually. Initiate phase two."

Buffy felt something bit into her arm and she looked down in alarm to see a dart sticking out of her right bicep. She wrenched it clear and tossed it aside but a sudden wave of dizziness and fatigue almost overwhelmed her and she stumbled momentarily before she caught herself. The world began to slow around her as her vision grew blurry and her hearing distorted. The sword in her hand grew heavier and heavier and yet Buffy fought past it with sheer iron clad will.

"Really Slayer, did you really think that was our entire team? Be serious. We are legion and when we come after a target we come at it in force.

Buffy looked around to note over twenty demons, all armed, emerging from every corner of the alley way. Behind her on the brick wall more than twenty feet up were two more demons, both with tranquilizer guns blocking off that avenue of escape.

It took Buffy a moment longer than usual to realize just how screwed she was. Her thoughts were sluggish and slow and despite her efforts it was getting harder to fight the effects of whatever poison that was flowing through her blood. But even if she had not been poisoned twenty against one were not odds she would ever think of entertaining. Seeing that there would be no escape Buffy realized that this was it. There would be no heartfelt makeup with her friends, nor would she see her mother again. She wouldn't get the chance to tell Giles how much she looked up to him, to tell him how had been more of a father to her than Hank Summers had ever been, and nor would she ever get the chance to get to know their new friend. They were going to take it all away. They were going to kill her and then they were going to go after her friends maybe even her mom! That sudden realization brought the world snapped the world back into sharp focus. It didn't completely nullify the effects of the poison but it was enough to bring strength back to her limbs and reaffirm her resolve. She would fight for her life and she would make them pay with every ounce of blood she could take.

"I'm impressed Slayer," the voice of the leader stated with a tone of grudging respect "You were hit with enough sedative to sedate three slayers."

A sedative not a poison, so they were serious about taking her alive, it didn't matter. Buffy's response was rather pointed as she charged the nearest demon and impaled him with her sword before launching herself at the rest. Her mind was too clouded by the effects of the sedative to strategize effectively so she reverted to just following her instincts. She threw herself at them with a fury only a slayer could unleash. She managed to kill three of them but despite the initial surprise her ferocious resistance it wouldn't be enough. One perfect punch from a demon connected squarely with her temple knocking her to the ground in a daze. They were on her in an instant holding her down as another demon injected her with yet more of the sedative and Buffy's world went black.

The leader of this particular cell of the scourge looked down upon the unconscious form of Buffy Summers just as his minions finished applying their restraints. This endeavor had already proven more costly in manpower than he had anticipated….and finding good pure-blood demons was difficult enough as it was. But they needed more intell on this new human enemy of theirs.

"Take her back to the ship and begin the interrogation. Leave our dead where they lie."

Sometime later a figure cautiously approached the alley way with sword in hand and held ready. He surveyed his surroundings intently; probing every shadow, nook and potential hiding place with intense scrutiny.

Anakin sighed in frustration. He had been too late. He had felt a warning in the Force that the Slayer had been in danger and he had tried to get to her as quickly as possible but he had been too late.

She wasn't here amongst the dead which meant they had taken her, alive. Anakin closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as he submerged himself deeply in the Force. He followed the threads of the conflict from start to finish, watching as the demons ambushed the distraught slayer and how they had eventually overwhelmed her. The memories were still fresh in the Force, this had happened very recently.

Opening his eyes Anakin followed the will of the Force as it directed him inexorably to Buffy summers and the demons that held her captive.


End file.
